Dragon's Heart
by onyx-hime-sama
Summary: AC 199. It was a routine mission...or should have been. The takedown of an arms dealing ring was something that Sally and Wufei had done numerous times. But when the mission timing gets changed and Sally is taken captive, she is forced to face demons she thought were long since buried. Wufei must fight against the clock to rescue her and do his best to save the one who is his heart
1. Chapter 1

Greetings an falicitaions, fanfiction readers! OK so Onyxhime is super excited to be posting this and even more excited that you want to read this. I won't go on forever cause y'all clicked in here for some Gundam wing action and not author commentary. But just a few notes before we begin.

This story is rated T flat out. This is also one of the author's first attempts at writing so my apologies if it's amateurish. I Also need to give credit where credit is due. About a bazillion years ago I read a really short fiction on the Web and it inspired this little brain child of mine. I have no idea who the author is and I can't find the fiction anywhere. So, because I have no name to credit, I tip my hat to the unknown author who gave me my muse.

This fiction TOTALLY discounts that blasphemous heresy called episode zero and blatantly ignores the equally blasphemous frozen teardrop. If ya like 'em so sorry.

Reviews are ALWAYS appreciated but be kind. We are all growing and learning and flames don't do anything for confidence building.

Without further ado: In honor of Bandai and the Gundam franchise (who own this stuff BTW... bummer...) and for your reading enjoyment, Onyxhime humbly presents "Dragon's Heart"

Please enjoy it alot!

AC 199

 _ **Zurich, Switzerland**_

The cabin was dark and rather rustic in its grandiose settings. The view of the Alps from the front window was astounding- as it was meant to be, for this was a tourist's cabin. But the occupants inside the cabin took no notice of the view. At least one of them, an arrogant Chinese with a chauvinistic outlook on life, did not.

The other, an American with a terminally social disposition, was busy gazing rapturously out the window and doing his best to push his friends buttons.

"Geeze, Wuffie. Lighten up! It was just a suggestion!" Duo grinned and tossed his long chestnut braid over his shoulder. "I mean, c'mon, who wouldn't think it was fun to roll a snowball down the mountainside?"

Wufei leaned against the doorframe and snorted derisively as he folded his arms across his chest. "Probably the person it landed on, idiot." Wufei's black slanted eyes narrowed as he leaned foreword to emphasize his next point. "We are here to find this terrorist cell, destroy them, and get out, Maxwell. We are not to do anything that might draw attention to ourselves and compromise the mission. That includes: getting into a snowball fight, making snowmen, and rolling snowballs down mountains to land on some poor unsuspecting sap's head! If I hear one more suggestion that isn't mission oriented, that braid is _**mine**_. And I'll lop it off _**at the neck**_!"

Duo's shoulders slumped as he sat down on one of the two cots with a _**SQUEAK.**_ "Then I can't…?"

" _ **No**_!"

"Not even a little?"

Wufei just glared.

"Spoil Sport." Duo threw his hands up defeat. "I knew I shoulda' taken Quatre up on his offer of a vacation at his desert oasis." He lay back on the bed, deflated. Then he stuck his tongue out at Wufei "'Spose since the party's been nixed by the parents, we might as well get some shut eye."

"Our contact should be here some time before dawn." Wufei blithely ignored the American's comment about his stodgy-ness. "I'll take the first watch."

Duo shrugged and yawned. "G/night, Wu-man."

Wufei just growled.

Soon the soft sounds of Duo's snoring filled the room. Wufei glanced at his colleague in annoyance. Not for the first time on this mission, he missed his partner. He shook his head. It was plain irritating to have to work with someone other than Sally Po.

Wufei remembered his reaction when Une informed him that he was needed for this mission.

He had taken the data report from her and read through it, noting the mission parameters. They were to meet an informant and investigate an alleged terrorist faction. If need be the mission called for the destruction of the base and the apprehension of the head guy, a man by the name of Al-Arish. And the initial meet called for a Preventer _**team**_.

Wufei's dark eyes narrowed. "Preventer Water doesn't get back from her vacation for another three days." He pointed out accusingly.

Catching the insinuation in his tone, Une's serene brow wrinkled slightly in apology. "I know, Chang. However, our informant was quite adamant about the urgency of the situation. It's now or never."

Wufei had growled under his breath but said nothing, accepting the inevitable. After all, it was only one mission and whoever they had gotten to replace her could not be that bad…

Wufei shifted his weight slightly and winced as Duo emitted a particularly loud snore.

Blast Une for assigning Duo to this mission. It was going to be difficult enough gaining the information they required without Wufei constantly having to squelch his adolescent behavior.

He had argued vehemently against using Maxwell, claiming that he could do it well enough on his own. But Une had stubbornly insisted. He was going to have a partner for this mission, like it or not.

He leaned against the doorway folding his arms across his chest. He did not want a different partner. The only partner he _**ever**_ wanted- past, present, or future- was Sally.

His head snapped back and his eyes filled with annoyance. Just when had he started holding _**that**_ particular opinion? And _**why**_ did he feel that way?

Should he not be overjoyed at the prospect of working with a man (even Duo Maxwell) over having to work with someone only good for housework and bearing sons? Should he not despise her? _After all,_ _she's nothing but a woman. Easily replaced by any man…_ Wufei glanced at Duo who had begun to drool. _Let me amend that…Almost any man._

 _All women are weak and would never be anything else. And they definitely didn't belong on the battlefield._ He had had that drilled into him since he was a small boy.

Wufei sighed. And yet he knew the moment he thought those things that he did not really believe them.

Not about Sally. They had built for each other a mutual admiration even if they did fight like cats and dogs…

Setting aside the fact for a moment that she was a woman; Sally _**knew**_ Wufei … the types of tactics he favored… she knew how predict his actions. They had both learned to anticipate how the other thought. He had seen her poise under fire and her spirit and strength of will. They had been a team since 197 and a dang good one too.

It should have been Sally sleeping on that cot waiting to relieve him on watch.

 _Blast it, woman! Why did you have to take your vacation this week?_ Wufei glanced at his watch and wandered over to the bunk and shook Duo. "Maxwell…"

Duo snorted and rolled over but remained blissfully unaware. _How he survived Operation Meteor boggles my mind._ Wufei growled and grabbed him by his shoulder and shook him harder. "Get up _**now**_!"

Maxwell mumbled something unintelligible still held firmly in the sandman's insidious clutches. Wufei quirked a slanted eyebrow at the Gundam pilot and then the door of the cottage. He grinned wolfishly.

Poor Duo never stood a chance. One moment he was in a warm fuzzy world where Hilde was serving a nine-course meal of all his favorites and the next he was sailing through freezing air and landing neck-deep in a snow drift.

"Oi, You're cruel, Wu-man!" Duo sputtered his way out of the snow bank.

Wufei stood in the door of the cabin grinning. He wished he had had a camera. The look on Maxwell's face was priceless.

"Are we awake now?"

It was Duo's turn to growl as he stumbled back into the cottage. He yanked the tie that held his long hair captive and started picking the snow from his braid.

Wufei slipped into his own cot. "Wake me in three hours."

Duo sat there grumbling as Wufei adopted an attitude of casual nonchalance. "I'm gonna send Sally some flowers when we get back. Anyone who can put up with your rot for four years and stay sane deserves something for their trouble."

"Idiot, weve only been partners for _**two**_ years." Wufei fixed Maxwell with a glare.

Duo wrung his hair and water dripped from it. "She's _**known**_ you for _**four**_. Any person who's known you that long is entitled to sympathy... And probably a psych evaluation…" The last Duo mumbled under his breath.

Grumbling, Chang crossed his arms behind his head and settled himself in for some sleep. His eyes slid shut of their own volition as he allowed exhaustion to wash over him. Again for a moment he thought of Sally. _If I'd tried tossing her in the snow like that, she would have made sure that she took me down with her_. And for half a moment, he thought that it just might be fun to try it. It might be… _**enjoyable**_ … to tumble into the snow with Sally…

His eyes snapped wide open as he mentally shook himself _**hard**_. _Enough of that kind of thinking!_ He forcibly derailed that particular train of thought. He was just overly tired that was all. Babysitting Maxwell must have really taken it out of him. Wufei sent his mind trailing down other paths in an attempt to keep from thinking of his erstwhile partner.

And for a time he succeeded. Into his sleep riddled mind came the image of someone Wufei had long since relegated to the foggy mists of the past. Wufei's eyelids grew heavy, and, as sleep overtook him, a pair of sparkling blue eyes came laughing back to him. And then he dreamed.

" _ **Little Dragon! Little Dragon, come back!"**_

 _ **But Little Dragon would have none of it. The six-year-old Chang Wufei pushed away from his tutor and headed for the center of the commotion. His black slanted eyes revealed his above average intelligence, already several years ahead of his age.**_

 _ **No one noticed the small child who pushed through the crowd, seeking further information. If the men in the crowd had an inkling of this youth's capabilities, they might have paid closer attention to him. But as it was… No one had any idea of this child's intelligence…no one had any idea of the extent of this child's training (even at his tender age)… And no one had an inkling of this child's destiny. Least of all the child himself.**_

 _ **Huge numbers of men were gathered, and there was only one topic of conversation on everyones' lips: Po Chen had arrived and made a formal request to meet with the colony elders.**_

" _ **-You heard?"**_

" _ **No."**_

" _ **They say that Po Chen himself is here seeking warriors to assist his militia. Rumor has it that the Earth is planning an attack on one of the colonies in the L3 cluster and that he has allied himself with the UESA."**_

 _ **Several men raised their voices in disbelief. "Would he do something so dishonorable?"**_

 _ **One old man huffed and thumped his cane on the ground. "It does not surprise me. I have seen the shameful way he treats his women."**_

 _ **Wufei's eyes narrowed. He had to find a way into the council chamber. He scanned the façade of the chamber and decided that the window was his best option. He scurried to the outer column.**_

 _ **Wufei slipped in through the wooden windows and slid silently to the floor, making sure that his blue katana sheath made no sound as he landed. Absently his fingers traced the silver dragons that were encrusted on his sword's hilt as he did a visual scan of the area.**_

 _ **The chamber was widely and lavishly decorated in carvings of dragons both great and small. Red jade columns were placed every so many feet on the perimeter of the chamber and red silk hung caressingly around each.**_

 _ **A small smirk formed at the corner of his lips. The shadows in the alcoves were deep and provided the perfect cover for the small intruder. As he expertly weaved in and out of shadows, he observed a group of men surrounding one surprisingly tall dignified Chinese gentleman.**_

 _ **From his vantage point, Wufei was able to observe the man unseen and unnoticed. The boy's face hardened. If the eyes were truly the measure of a man as his masters had taught, then this man was the coldest, cruelest man the young boy had ever seen.**_ _An enemy, dishonorable in all his dealings and definitely not to be trusted_ _ **. His instincts fairly screamed at him.**_ _A man to remember for a future date._

" _ **Master Long." Po Chen's deep baritone carried across the chamber. The group of men broke up and the evil looking man stepped foreword. He bowed, demonstrating his respect. "Honorable members of the council. I am deeply gratified that you agreed to hear my proposal in such a prestigious manner."**_

 _ **Chang growled in frustration as one of those members stepped into his line of sight . He sidled along the outer wall seeking a place where he could see plainly without showing himself. He doubted anything untoward would happen to him if he was caught, but he was not about to take chances. The hall was not the place for children. Or so he had been told by Master O.**_

 _ **Master Long bowed his ancient head slightly in acknowledgement of Po's courtesy. "We are most curious, Po Chen, as to the nature of this proposal. It must be quite important if it required you to come all this way to deliver it in person."**_

" _ **My masters, I wish to hire some of your able-bodied warriors. I need men who can fight honorably and who are unafraid of death."**_

 _ **Murmurs rose around the room as Po made his purpose known. Master Long raised his hand and slowly quiet descended on the room. "You wish to hire our warriors to fight- not for honor but for money?"**_

" _ **Master, I would not suggest that your warriors do anything so unjust. Still I do not see the problem with taking the opportunity to fight for both."**_

 _ **Wufei slowly made his way around the room all the while listening to Po Chen's proposal. He shook his head disdainfully. Only dishonorable men fought for profit. A true warrior fought for justice and honor. What this man was proposing was preposterous.**_

" _ **I see." Master Long glanced at the council members standing in the room. A silent nod of agreement passed between them and Master Long. "Po Chen, if you will permit the council some time to discuss this matter…"**_

 _ **Po bowed. "Of course. But I must have my answer before I leave today. I apologize for my forwardness in this." Po Chen withdrew to his advisors and began to speak in low tones.**_

 _ **Hoping to make out what Po was saying, Wufei edged silently around until he was close to the giant red jade pillars by the door of the hall.**_

 _ **Gemstone dragons carved in relief frisked their way up and down the pillars under the watchful gaze of the Great Dragon. Wufei glanced up and into the eyes of the carved stone effigy and shuddered. Master Long had told him that the dragon was the guardian of the Chang family, and of the Dragon clan.**_

 _ **Wufei stood there staring into the cold lifeless eyes of the Great Dragon far longer than he should have. Every instinct he had was yelling at him for standing there, reminding him of the mission and the need to gather intel. He wanted to hear what the council was saying… But try as he might, the young boy could not tear his eyes away. It was as if some invisible force had a hold of him, and Wufei could not resist it or fight it.**_

 _ **Wufei jerked back in surprise.**_ _Those eyes… They flashed…_ _ **Wufei shook his head as the analytical side of his training took hold. It was impossible for stone to wink. He must have imagined the whole thing.**_

 _ **Suddenly ,Wufei froze. He cocked his head as he listened, certain that he had heard something… There it was again. Gripping the hilt of his katana firmly in his hand, he noiselessly made his way around the pillar. What he saw when he peeked around the pillar surprised him.**_

 _ **A girl! But who was she? A servant?**_ _No_ _ **,**_ _She cant be._ _ **Her clothes were shoddy and worn. And even the servants in the hall were better dressed…**_

 _ **She sat against the pillar with her knees pulled up to her chest, her head buried in her arms. Her thin frame shook in stifled sobs. Sniffing dejectedly she lifted her head and wiped away the tears. The girl appeared older than him by about four years, give-or-take a few. But what was most shocking was her silky golden hair and bright blue eyes, red-rimmed from crying. Wufei cocked his head intrigued. There was definite Chinese in this girl. Her slanted eyes gave that much away. But her hair and eye color? Wufei had never seen anyone with quite that combination before. It was oddly…**_ **entrancing** _ **.**_

 _ **Another quiet sob escaped her. His heart went out to her and suddenly the urge to make her smile became overpowering.**_

 _ **Glancing around to make certain no one had seen him or the girl. He whispered "Hello."**_

 _ **Gasping and startled, she whipped around wide-eyed. Obviously the girl had no idea that she was no longer alone. A terrified expression descended over her features and she drew back into the shadows almost instinctively.**_

 _ **Wufei studied her face in surprise. Directly below her right eye was the blackest bluest bruise he had ever seen.**_ _How did she get that?_ _ **He could only imagine how painful something like that was.**_

" _ **What do you want?" Her haunted eyes took on a spirited defensiveness as if daring the smaller boy to do something hurtful to her.**_

 _ **Wufei's eyes widened at the tone she had used. No-one had ever spoken to him in that way. It irritated. After all everybody had told him that he was Lord Chang Wufei, and everyone he had ever met had bowed low before him.**_ _I am the last lord of the Dragon clan…_ _ **That was what Master Long had said after Wufei's father had died. And now a girl came along and treated him not as a lord but as an equal.**_

 _ **He bit back the irritation as he eyed the bruise on her face. She had obviously had a hard time of it. Still determined to win a smile, he pressed onward. "What's your name?"**_

 _ **She turned her back to him pulling her knees up against her chest again. "Just go away."**_

 _ **The words were muffled, but he clearly heard the tears in her voice. She had begun to cry again.**_

 _ **He really wanted to do something to comfort her.**_ _Why…?_ _ **He did not know. After all it was none of his business. He glanced towards the center of the council chamber. He had bigger fish to fry. She was only an emotional and irrational girl. Why should he bother with her when there were more interesting things going on?**_

 _Still…_ _ **He glanced back down at the pitiful picture her shaking frame painted and sighed. He could not live with himself if he did not do something. Besides his curiosity had been piqued. What could make anyone cry like that?**_

" _ **What's wrong?" He knelt down next to her his young brow wrinkling with concern.**_

" _ **What do you care?" She moaned and sniffed turning her back to him. "Leave me alone."**_

 _ **He looked at the pathetic form she made. Her quiet weeping touched a chord deep within his heart. Wufei had never seen anyone so unhappy in his short six years of life in this world.**_

 _ **At a loss to do something the young boy instinctively reached down to his side and touched the pommel of his katana. The katana that had belonged to his father before he died….He sighed as he remembered Master O bringing Wufei word of his father's death.**_

 _ **Wufei traced the dragons on the hilt of his sword. The thing that had comforted him in the long nights after his father's death had been that sword…**_

 _ **And quite suddenly the boy had an idea.**_

 _ **Wufei glanced around the column to gauge the situation. As of yet nothing had been decided.**_ _I have a little more time then._

 _ **He touched the girl's shoulder to get her attention. The girl jerked back while throwing her hands up as if to ward off a blow. An involuntary cry escaped her lips only to be stifled as quickly as it had begun. Wide eyed, Wufei drew away sharply, startled by her sudden movement. He blinked at the girl and knew with an awful certainty that she was waiting for.**_ _She thinks I'm going to hit her…_

 _ **He gazed at her his anger kindling.**_ _Who would do something like that?_ _ **Women were the weaker vessel, it was true. They were only good for running a household and bearing sons. At least that was what Master O had taught him. But only dishonorable men would do such a cowardly thing as strike one. Even at the age of six Wufei knew this. He had never hit a woman in his short life and then and there he vowed he never would.**_

" _ **Hey, it's okay. I'm not going to hit you."**_

 _ **Slowly the girl lowered her hands but still eyed him dubiously. "What part of go away don't you understand!?"**_

 _ **He ignored her brusque tone and assumed what he hoped was a friendly expression. "Can I show you something?"**_

 _ **After a moment of silence, she nodded hesitantly drying her tears. The boy quietly drew the katana and held it out to the girl smiling at her shyly. Her eyes lit up as she looked at it. "Is it yours?"**_

 _ **He nodded and motioned for her to take the sword.**_

 _ **Her sky hued eyes were wide with wonder as if she could not believe it. She unconsciously lifted a hand to touch it. Then jerked her hand back like the object she wanted to touch was scalding hot. Her face clouded over and she took a small step backwards as her fingers subconsciously touched the bruise on her face.**_

 _ **The gesture was not lost on the boy. He was willing to bet that that she got that bruise while trying to handle a weapon like his sword. Wufei fairly burned up with righteous indignation, and he resolved even more firmly to make her smile. "No one's going to hit you for touching it. Here." Wufei took the sword and affected a fighter's stance. "You hold it this way." He held the sword out to her. "Now you try…"**_

 _ **Hesitantly she licked her lips and reached out. Then she drew her hand back apprehensively.**_

" _ **Go on…" Wufei reached out and gently took her hand, placing the hilt of his katana in it. His dark eyes met her clear ones. "Try it…"**_

 _ **She looked down at the weapon in her hand for a moment disbelievingly. Then glancing at him shyly she imitated his stance. She held the weapon with grace and balance like she was born to hold a sword. "Am I doing this right?"**_

 _ **He cocked his head. "Hold the tip of the blade up… like that. Perfect." He grinned at her.**_

 _ **Then he was rewarded with what he wanted all along. She smiled at him. "It's so beautiful…" She handed the blade back to him.**_

" _ **This sword belonged to my father. He and my mother died last year."**_

 _ **She looked at him with deep sadness in her blue eyes. "I'm sorry they're dead. I…I just lost my mother."**_

 _ **Wufeis face fell. No wonder she was so sad. "What about your father?"**_

 _ **The girl's face clouded over once again. "My father…"**_

 _ **Before the girl could finish her sentence, a loud uproar washed over them. Both children jumped and the girl hurriedly stepped away from Wufei.**_

" _ **I advise this council to reconsider. I have until next week to hear your final answer."**_

 _ **Master Long stood in front of the partition that led into the inner chamber. "We will take a vote Po Chen. But I would not advise raising your hopes. The colony elders are most adamant about remaining neutral in conflicts between the current ruling body on Earth and the colonies. That may change at a later date but for now things will be the way they will be." With that the remainder of the elders proceeded into the inner chamber, leaving an angry and fuming Po standing in front of the doors like a common petitioner.**_

 _ **The furious man whirled around seeking someone to release his pent up anger on. When he saw no one his mind latched on to his favorite target. "Sai Lien!"**_

 _ **The girl closed her eyes against the coarse yell. When she opened them again Wufei could see the horror in her eyes. But he could also see the fight and flash of spirit. She might be afraid but she would not go down without a fight.**_

" _ **Sai Lien!"**_

 _ **Glancing in Wufei's direction, she squared her shoulders and without a second's hesitation stepped out from behind the pillar. "Here."**_

 _ **Wufei shuddered as he watched the poised Sai Lien face down none other than Po Chen with a bravery and defiance worthy of any warrior.**_

 _ **The cruel man walked over to the girl and grabbed her arm causing her to wince. "Insolent wench! Wheres your respect? Am I not your father?" Po was silent for a moment obviously wanting an answer. "Well?!"**_

 _ **The girl remained stubbornly silent refusing to give in only escalating her father's anger.**_

 _So she's the daughter of Po Chen…_ _ **Wufeis eyes narrowed. He now knew who had left those bruises on her face. And young Wufei secretly applauded her spunk. Although she would probably end up paying for it before the day was out.**_

" _ **Have I not fed and clothed you? And is this the gratitude you show? You are even more useless than your mother was."**_

 _ **Sai Lien's eyes flashed in defiant anger as she wrenched her arm away from her father. "Say what you will about me but you will**_ **not** _ **malign my mother's memory." She drew herself up to her full height and glared at him, her eyes blazing. "My mother's worth was a hundred times what your's will ever be-"**_

 _ **Po struck her, cutting her off in mid statement by knocking her down.**_

 _ **Silence descended on the council chamber as the girl slowly began to move. It was all Wufei could do to sit on himself. He wanted to rush out there and to fight that coward… He glanced back up at first the few remaining men in the vicinity then their malicious visitor. Would no one raise a hand to help her?**_

 _ **It was then he made the decision for himself. Though only six, he was incredibly skilled in the art of war, and Wufei determined that those skills would serve him today. He would not allow that evil man to lay another hand on her. Wufei's slanted black eyes narrowed as he calculated the timing of the sprint that he knew he would have to make it from one side of the pillared arch to the other.**_

 _ **Po Chen circled the defenseless girl who was still lying in a crumpled heap on the ground. But before he could do anything more, he was confronted by a six-year-old boy holding a katana.**_

 _ **Wufei stood directly in between Po and Sai Lien, just hoping the old man would try something.**_

 _ **Po's slanted eyebrow quirked as a sardonic smile played at his lips. "What's this? Be careful, boy. You don't want to cut yourself."**_

 _ **Wufei's face went deadpan and his black eyes sparkled menacingly. The smile on Chen's face slowly disappeared. He swallowed. He had only seen that particular expression on the faces of his veteran warriors. Seeing that look on the face of a six-year-old child might have been ludicrous if it was not for the look in his eyes. It was the look of one who knew who he was and what he was fighting for. It was the look of absolute hatred.**_

" _ **Harm her again, coward, and I will personally deal with you."**_

 _ **It was dead silent in the chamber. The child and Po made eye contact and there was no denying the hate that smoldered there.**_

 _ **Master Long spoke up from the door of the inner chamber. "You have your answer, Po Chen, and so eloquently delivered. Even our children find your behavior reprehensible. If I had my way you would not leave with your daughter today. As it stands…We will have nothing to do with one so dishonorable as to beat a defenseless woman."**_

 _ **Then Master O walked over to the six-year-old child and put a hand on his shoulder pulling him away from Sai Lien. "Well done, Little Dragon."**_

 _ **Po Chen stood silent and fuming. He had lost. And he knew it. It was time to retreat. "Sai Lien, come." Turning abruptly he stormed out of the Chamber.**_

 _ **Wufei watched as a wide-eyed Sai Lien sat up and dusted herself off. The girl held her head high and there was a distinct lack of tears on her face. Her grace and poise in the face of her trouble caused a deep sense of pride to run through the young boy.**_

 _ **She walked behind her father and as she reached the crimson arch, carved with the effigy of a dragon, she looked back and met the eyes of the boy who stood between her tormenter and her. She smiled at him, her blue eyes sparkling. And then she was gone.**_

 _ **Wufei suddenly looked up at the face of the dragon and into its eyes He could have sworn hed seen them flash…**_

Wufei's eyes popped open with a start. The fire in the hearth was dying down and He could barely make out Maxwell's silhouette. Judging by the coals in the fireplace, Wufei had been asleep for only an hour and a half. He sighed and rolled to his side.

He had been dreaming of her again. _Sai Lien …_

He had not thought about her in some years since that day. That had been just before the United Earth Sphere Alliance attacked L3 over thirteen years ago. He had never known what had become of her. Often times he had wondered where she was and if she was even still alive. Wufei had thought about that girl on and off but as his training had intensified and as Operation Meteor drew closer, the girl had fallen to the recesses of his mind. Soon she had become nothing but a memory.

Until about four years ago.

Since then, he had dreamed about that day over and over. And in his dreams he remembered her as she was that day. Sometimes he called her by her given name and sometimes he called her by another. But no matter how hard he tried he could never remember that name.

Finally fed up with it, he had purposed to find her. Shortly after he had come to work for Preventers, he had made an attempt to trace the girl. And at first he had marked success. For three years following the sacking of L3, reports of her and her father were fairly consistent.

Then, suddenly, all sources of information had dried up. Wufei had double and triple checked the dates on the reports, but it was simply no use. One moment Sai Lien was her father's constant shadow and the next she had vanished without a trace. And no amount of digging would bring her fate to light.

For all Wufei knew she was dead. But somehow he doubted that she was. That girl possessed a fighter's spirit. If anyone could have survived she could.

Maybe that was why he did not mind being around Sally so much. She reminded him of Sai Lien. She had the same iron will, the same fire…

A sudden hissing sound came from the darkened doorway. "Visitors, Wufei."

A sharp movement from Duo's direction followed by the click of a safety being removed pulled Wufei from his thoughts. And from his bunk. He clicked the safety on his own weapon as he hit the floor.

Duo made eye contact with the Chinese Preventer. "Our contact just arrived."


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing ain't mine. So don't sue me...please...

So without further ado, the curtain rises on chapter two!

Please read and review! :)

 _ **Preventers Headquarter**_

 _ **Belgium**_

"-And so my vacation was called on a count of hurricane." Sally leaned against the wall of a rather tastefully decorated office. She tossed her blond hair over her shoulder. "Not exactly the way I planned my week. So I figured that I'd just come back early and see if you can use me."

Colonel Une sat leaning against the front of her desk. Her face became thoughtful and after a moment she stood up and rounded her desk. "Actually, I do have something." She picked up a manila folder.

Sally cocked her head in interest and pushed away from the wall. Taking the file from the colonel, Sally began to flip through the file contents. _Renegade militia refuses to disband… been involved in black-market weapons dealings…_ "Sounds…interesting."

"We received this report just before you came in." Une brushed her nut-brown hair behind her ear. "We managed to intercept a shipment of weapons and were able to trace them back to their origin. There is a black-market cartel working out of what used to be Switzerland. An informant within the organization in question claims that this is ground zero of their operation. And that the head man is holed up there."

Sallys brow furrowed. "Can you trust this informant?"

A ghost of a smile lit Une's features. "I believe so since _**I**_ assigned him to infiltrate the group and gain information. Preventer Dragon and Duo Maxwell were sent to deal with the situation."

Sally quirked an eyebrow at her boss. "You sent those two? I hope for Duo's sake that Wufei left his katana at home."

Colonel Une smiled ruefully at Sally then shook her head "We are expecting another report in hour or so. This mission," she pointed to the folder, "Is the second step in their operation. But we need information before we can move in."

"That's where I come in…" Sally set the file down on the colonel's desk.

"Yes. The initial recon phase should only require one agent. But I'll send Preventer Dragon when his other mission is complete. Barring anything unforeseen, I estimate another forty-eight hours."

Sally smiled. _Forty-eight hours with Duo for a partner…_ Wufei would be a nervous wreck. His buttons were too easily pushed. "I'll make radio contact in regards to setting up an RV point."

Une nodded her head. "Good luck, Preventer Water."

 _ **Zurich, Switzerland**_

The embers of the fire cast flickering light around the interior of the cabin. Sitting in one corner watching out the window, Duo fingered his automatic nervously. They were not expecting anyone, but it never hurt to be prepared. _After all, that guy couldve been followed…_ He glanced over his shoulder at their guest.

"He's not here?" Irritation tinged Wufei's words.

The red haired informant nodded his head. "Al-Arish left shortly before you and your partner arrived. He was headed someplace east. There wasn't anything I could do to stop him. He went to personally meet with a client."

Wufei growled in the back of his throat. _This complicates things._ He and Maxwell had been assigned to cripple the black-market operation and specifically to arrest the guy in charge. Hypothetically, the concept was that without its head and if sufficiently hamstringed, the organization would simply fold up on itself. _Hypothetically, anyway…_ but if he was not here?

After a moment of contemplation, Wufei spoke. "Show us where they are. We can at least sabotage their equipment. Then I'll get in contact with Colonel Une. She can send a team to watch for him."

 _ **Minsk, Russia**_

 _ **Seventy-two hours and counting…**_

Sally lay hunkered down behind a clumping of coarse grasses as she scanned the enemy camp through her binoculars. The place was impressive she had to admit.

It looked like it had been hewn out the rough countryside. Judging by the number of pre-fab shelters in the compound, whoever was in charge of this popsicle stand had a way with the common soldier. She estimated at least three thousand men stationed here.

The rumors were true. Apparently those unhappy with Relena Darlian's ideals had decided to throw a little party.

 _And I do so love to crash parties…_ She refocused her binoculars, mentally marking all the weapons cache stockpiles, and ammunition dumps. She would deal with those later. She shook her head in appreciation. Even the Mobile Suit salvage yard was impressive. These people packed some serious fire-power.

In the center of the clearing was the building she guessed to be the nerve center of the militia- no, _**army**_. After all three thousand men was pushing it by any definition of the word militia. The building had the feel of permanence. It was made of strong building materials. _Concrete, if I could hazard a guess…_ and gracing the roof of the building was a satellite dish. The kind for sending and jamming signals.

 _I'll bet that isn't for the general's High-def TV._ She whistled silently to herself. _That baby set someone back a buck or two._

And it was worth the expense as Sally had found out. It was effectively knocking out all sending frequencies. She was not able to get through to HQ. She was not able to arrange an RV point to meet up with Wufei. And she had no hope of calling for an extraction. In short, she was up the creek without a paddle, and no hope of reinforcements in sight.

"Well, this sounded like a good idea at the time…" Sally sighed lowering her binoculars. She was about to shove them back in her case when movement in the camp caught her eye.

Sally squinted trying to make out what was going on. Quickly she raised the glasses to her face. Two men walked towards each other each flanked by what appeared to be body guards. Stopping several yards from each other they exchanged remarks. She growled in the back of her throat (a habit that she had picked up from Wufei) wishing that she could clearly see. She might have been able to read his lips.

The man on the right was Middle Eastern in origin and had a mean look to him. His long brown leather coat only served to emphasize his menacing demeanor. The filtered sunlight reflected off his bald head. That and the darkness of his low slung brows made him appear rather rugged and at home in the inhospitable landscape.

Sally had seen his kind before. He came across as a business man, but he would not blink twice at slicing your throat. _Or stabbing you in the back, for that matter…_

She watched as he held his coat open for the other man to see in a clear 'I'm unarmed' gesture. _Suuure you are. If your cohort down there believes that then he deserves what he gets…_ The men once again resumed approaching each other. _Speaking of cohort…_ Sally turned her glasses on the on the man to the left.

And promptly dropped them.

The blood roared in her ears like thunder as a nauseating wave of mind numbing fear washed over her. "No…It can't be…"

Suddenly Sally felt a terrible flashing pain and then blackness descended like a curtain…

 _ **Minsk, Russia**_

 _ **?**_

Sally came to cursing. It was damp and unbelievably dark. Her cold muscles cramped from lying on a stone floor and she heard the scuttling of rats behind the walls. She felt the condensation that could gather in only two places: a cellar or a cell. And if she was a betting woman she bet on a cell. _Great. I've been captured._

Her head was pounding and the lump on her cheekbone was so swollen she could not see out of her right eye. A groan escaped from her dry cracked lips as she sat up. She growled as she cradled her head in her hands. Wufei would never let her live this down. _I didn't need this. He's hard enough to work with as it is…_

A wave of nausea assailed her as memory of what happened came rushing back to her. She remembered the two men approaching each other and her focusing on the Middle Easterner. Then she remembered glancing at the second man…She thought she had recognized him. Shuddering she prayed desperately that she was wrong, that it was only a coincidence. But if she was in fact correct? A cold fist settled in the pit of her stomach.

She had no way to know for certain whether the man was indeed who she thought he was but either way she was not sticking around to find out.

Rising carefully she set about the task of mapping her cell. After all, it is the captured soldier's first duty to escape. And in this case, it was a priority.

Pacing slowly with a hand on the cell wall, she determined that at most the cell was about twelve feet by twelve feet. _All concrete_ … Three feet into the expanse of the right hand wall, she noted that the rough concrete broke off and her fingers felt the cold hardness of metal. She ran her hand across the expanse of metal and noticed that it went on for about three feet. If she had her guess, this was the door. She paced a few more steps and made a sobering discovery. In the corner was small pit. Sally wrinkled her nose at the evil odors that rose from it. She could hazard a guess just what it used for.

 _Hopefully, I'll be out of here before I need to utilize it._ But it drove home the fact that she was indeed a prisoner.

She completed the circuit of the room and sat down in a slump on the cold floor of the cell. _No chinks... no holes. Nothing…_

She hissed in annoyance. _How could I have been so careless?!_ She was just hacked off that she had been captured so blasted easily.

A sudden jangling at the cell door broke into her thoughts. Sally stood up slowly squaring her shoulders and raising herself to her full height. She vowed that whatever came through that door, she would not be cowed.

The door swung open, allowing a great square of light to silhouette the figure of a man. Momentarily blinded, Sally raised her hand to shield her eyes.

"Well, well. I see that my errant daughter has at last seen fit to return to her father." A bitter contemptuous voice spat. "Show me your respect, Sai Lien!" He ordered pointing to the floor before him.

Sally would not move, could not move. She remembered what true fear was. _This is a dream, this is not happening._ That voice was the voice of her nightmares. It was the voice of her father, Po Chen. She thought that she had escaped this man in her youth. Seeing him again froze her in utter terror.

For her entire life, he had belittled her, despised her, called her horrible cruel names, and had beaten her. Her and her mother both.

When Po Xiu had died, Sally had been barely ten years old. She then became a servant and cook enduring all of her fathers hatred and scorn.

Until she had turned thirteen. Changing her name from the hated Sai Lien to Sally, she had run away and never looked back. She had enlisted in the Alliance, lying about her age. And had excelled in her studies. By the age of nineteen, she had buried her demons, and was a skilled vascular surgeon.

Then the War effort had shifted and Sallys soldiering skills and battle scared reflexes from her childhood made her a strong ally to the Gundam pilots. She had become what her Mother had always wanted her to be. Free and accepted for who she was.

And now, just like that, all those years of success and independence vanished like so much mist in the morning sun. Sally was ten again and having to face the biggest most ferocious monster she had ever faced. And this time there would be no unknown benefactor to jump between her and her old tormentor.

"I said show me respect." He said again and Sallys inner voice hissed like a cat and recoiled from the orders.

She stiffened and her eyes flashed their old defiance. "I have no father and you do _**not**_ deserve respect. Mine or anyone elses."

Chen backhanded Sally across the face so hard she crashed back into the wall with the force of it.

"How _**dare**_ you, you useless pile of sheep dung! First your Mother dishonored me by whelping you." He spat at Sally's feet and sneered. "Then you continue to dishonor your family, woman. You join the Alliance against my wishes! Then I hear you are a rebel! Now this, this! Spying on your own father! You pitiful excuse for human flesh! How I ever sired such an appalling and ugly child I will never know." Chen yanked Sally's blonde braids. "Had I known your mother's blood had been diluted, I would never have married her. And you are no better. An abomination from birth! I am sickened by the impurities in you. Like mother like daughter."

Her soul splintered in agony as she thought back to her lovely dead mother. She had been the only one to love Sally as she was. There had only ever been one other person who had not treated her like she was a curiosity, a freak to be ogled and jeered at. A little boy with a beautiful sword and a determination to make her smile. Thinking of that courageous boy fueled the fire of boldness in her heart.

Her sky blue eyes narrowed in barely restrained anger. "There will come a time of reckoning for you, Po Chen. You are guilty of dealing with terrorists and the buying and the selling of weapons. This militia is in direct violation of section 5 paragraph four of the Disarmament Act. That, coupled with numerous illicit acts perpetrated over the last four years, tie you up good and tight. The Preventers _**will**_ find you. They'll lock you up in the deepest dankest cell they have and throw away the key. And there is no Master Long to save you from justice this time…"

"Silence!" He backhanded her again, this time using his fist. Sally fell to the hard packed earth dazed from the strike in a haze of pain as blow after blow reigned down on her. Breathing hard, Po Chen spat on her again.

As her father leered down at her in hatred, her body and will betrayed her. All she could do was whimper on the floor as the man of her nightmares whirled and left. Her cell door was locked once more. The darkness of her confines emphasized the shroud of self-doubt that clung to her being and refused to let go.

Groaning and in pain, she pulled herself up and leaned against the corner of the cell. _Now would be an excellent time to mount a rescue, Wufei…_ Sally hugged her knees and tried to block out the pain thinking instead of her partner.

She saw the good man he was on the inside. Irritating at times but, overall, good. They fought constantly, but it never came to blows.

Not the way her father treated her. She knew one thing, even driven to the point of madness Wufei would _ **never**_ strike her in anger.

If and when he fought, he fought for justice and integrity. Never for self-gain or purpose. For that one quality alone, Sally greatly admired him.

And at this particular point in time she wished with all her soul that he were here. He would lend her the courage she needed to face her father.

But Wufei was not here. All she had now was her own inner voice. And Sally was not sure that voice would be enough to see her through.

She sighed. Where was her partner now? _Probably getting antsy at HQ …_ After all, her report had been at least twenty-four hours over due before she was captured, and she had no way of knowing how long she had been out. _Wufei would be a handful to deal with …_ She smiled at the thought. Somehow just thinking it gave her courage.

She shifted slightly hissing as the pain neared intolerable levels. Her vision dimmed around the edges and she cast around desperately for something to relieve it.

Her mind latched onto the thought of Wufei and rescue. He would come after her, of that she was certain. He would be successful in finding her and in rescuing her like a dashing hero in fairytale. She smiled ruefully. _If he's the hero, I guess that makes me the damsel in distress…_

Being the damsel in distress always seemed so romantic in the storybook. In real life, it completely lost its glamour. But glamorous or not, she understood why the damsel fell for hero…Handsome, strong, and with a flare for showing up in the nick of time…Wufei filled the part of hero to perfection. She smiled as her eyelids grew heavy.

Sallys eyes bolted wide open and she realized with a start that she had been dozing. And that she had been casting herself and Wufei in the romantic lead of a fairytale. The kind that generally winds up with the words _**And they lived happily ever after…**_ Her cheeks blazed and not from the bruising she was certain was going on.

As her head leaned against the wall and sleep descended on her again she let slip a thought she never would have allowed before. _Could that really be so bad, Sally?_ * * * * *

 _ **?**_

 _ **?**_

 _ **Wufei stood surrounded by mist. He squinted into the inky blackness glancing left then right. Various grey and black values gave him the impression that he was standing in a grove of bamboo. He desperately needed to gain his bearings. Looking down in his hand he became aware that he was holding an unlit torch. Hoping that its illumination would allow him to see better, he lit it.**_

 _ **As the flame leapt to life and bathed the area with a golden light, Wufei saw that he was right. He stood in the center of a bamboo grove.**_

 _ **Somehow he knew that the grove was vast, and somehow he knew that he must traverse it. His heart told him that he had only one chance to defeat this maze and if he made a wrong turn, all was lost. Wufei stood still afraid to move.**_

" _ **Little Dragon…" a disembodied voice called.**_

 _ **Wide-eyed, Wufei whirled around looking for the owner of the voice. But there was no one. "Who are you?" His eyes narrowed and he listened intently.**_ _Nothing… only the sighing of the wind._

" _ **Little Dragon, come to me…"**_

 _ **Wufei's eyes widened. He**_ **had** _ **heard a voice. And it wanted him to come. He was not all that certain he wanted to. "What's my motivation?"**_

 _ **Silky laughter caressed his ears. "Come and find out."**_

 _ **His eyes narrowed suspiciously. He disliked being laughed at, but the tone of the voice put steel in his backbone. He knew it was baiting him. And he knew it was leveling a challenge. The question remained: dare he accept it? "What if I lose my way? I have no compass, no map."**_

" _ **You have what you need, Little One."**_

" _ **And if I make a wrong turn?"**_

" _ **Come."**_

 _ **Wufei sighed realizing a command when he heard it. And for some reason, it was a command he simply could not ignore.**_

 _ **Taking first one step then another, he began his long journey towards… just what he did not know. All he knew was that he had been called.**_

 _ **For what seemed like hours Wufei walked. And as he walked he became aware of something rather unnerving.**_

 _ **What the voice had said was true. He had what he needed. In the times when he felt in need of direction, he only had to stop and listen to his own heart.**_

 _ **Time seemed to stand still as Wufei continued. His mind told him that the sun should have come up hours ago and dispelled the thick fog. But as he progressed, it seemed to be growing darker and the mists thicker until he at last stood in front of a crossroads.**_

 _ **The bamboo divided the path into a fork, one road leading to the left and the other to the right. And he was faced with a decision.**_

 _ **Wufei glanced down the left path. He noticed that it appeared wide and short easily traveled. He also noticed the glimmer of daylight at the end.**_

 _ **Then he looked to the right. The path was dark and treacherous with bamboo on the right hand and a bottomless precipice to the left. There was practically no room for a traveler to place his feet on the narrow ledge.**_

 _ **Surely there was no question about which path to take.**_ _You'd have to be nuts to take the right one._

 _ **He turned to the left and then hesitated as nagging doubt assailed him. His head told him that left was the correct one to walk. But his heart…?**_

 _ **His heart voted right. And so far it had not led him astray. He sighed taking one last lingering look at the faint sunlight and began his journey into the darkness.**_

 _ **Holding the torch up high, he sidled along the path. The ledge became more and more narrow making footing hazardous. Mist condensed on the cold stone and gathered in puddles, causing him to slip and slide.**_

 _ **And once, it nearly sent him careening off into oblivion. Fortunately, he had dropped his torch on the path in a fairly dry place. He pulled himself back up on the ledge and stood breathing hard. Glancing in the direction he had come, he considered the wisdom of turning back.**_ _After all, the path will only become more dangerous._

 _ **But even as he considered turning back, he rejected it. He had chosen the path he would walk. He**_ **would** _ **not go back now. Collecting his torch he forced himself onward.**_

 _ **It was almost entirely pitch black, and Wufei could barely see three feet in front of him. The only light he had was the weak flicker coming from the torch cluched firmly in his right hand. Ironically, he found himself grateful for the limited visibility. He had a sneaking suspicion that he didn't want to know how long it would take for his body to smash upon the jagged rocks that almost certainly were at the bottom of a long fall. His body pressed up flush against the cold stone of the ledge as he swallowed reflexively. He was beginning to question his sanity. Sweat began to bead on his brow as he inched his way along, each step more precarious than the first until the ledge began to widen.**_

 _ **He was so relieved that he did not mind the thickening of the mist. The night was chilly and as Wufei progressed the temperature continued to drop. The mists roiled about his feet and his breath chuffed out in clouds. He trembled with the cold. He was wearing only a light silk tunic over his black tank and it was poor insulation against the night. He pulled his tunic closer and continued walking.**_

 _ **Suddenly, he froze.**_ _Something's out there…_ _ **Holding his torch up, he squinted into the darkness. A shiver ran down his spine. Wufei could not shake the feeling that something watching him. He took first one step and then another as he looked into the dark warily. Abruptly, he ceased his slow gait and stared his eyes going wide.**_

 _ **The silhouette of a fierce creature loomed before him.**_

 _ **Wufei's eyes narrowed and he held the torch up hoping to illuminate the beast.**_

 _ **And he froze as he caught the ripple of reflected light playing across iridescent scales gracing the massive shape.**_

 _ **Wufei swallowed. He had seen that particular silhouette many times in his childhood. If he did not miss his guess, he was looking on the ancestral Dragon, guardian of the Chang family.**_

" _ **Little Dragon of my Clan. You have come."**_

 _ **Coming to his senses, he dropped to one knee in humble obeisance. Laughter rolled over him as the Dragon delicately touched Wufei with its snout. "Well done."**_

 _ **Wufei's eyebrow quirked. Was it his imagination or was that Dragons voice… female?**_ _Master Long forgot to mention that the family guardian was a 'she'…_ __

 _ **Her ruby eyes twinkled as if she was enjoying a private joke at his expense. Wufei had a sneaking suspicion that she knew about his surprise at her gender. And it appeared to amuse her. A lot. Wufei growled under his breath. He did not like being the butt of a joke. Even one made by a guardian.**_

 _ **She cocked her head at him. "Rise and walk with me, my child."**_

 _ **Wufei stood, still carrying his torch, and fell into step next to the magnificent Beast. She was beautiful with the graceful contours of her muscled flesh. The length of her great serpentine body flashed an iridescent silver-blue while her scales danced golden in the torchlight. She was truly a magnificent Creature.**_

 _ **The Dragon led Wufei under a carved jade archway and into a clearing that resembled the gardens of the dojos on his home colony. And at the far end was a plain pile of wood in between two braziers.**_

 _ **Incense lightly tinted the air, a scent Wufei had smelled before. He inhaled deeply loving the soft delicacy of the perfume. His throat ached at the emotions it raised in him. It reminded him of something precious and wonderful… teased his senses and tickled his memory, but he could not place it.**_

 _ **Or could he…?**_

 _ **Where had he smelled it before? He breathed in the cloying fragrance deeply and closed his eyes desperate to place it in his mind.**_

 _ **It reminded Wufei of that day two years ago…the day he destroyed Nataku. The day Sally had invited him to join Preventers as her partner. She had offered her invitation and then laid a hand on his shoulder. Smiling she had leaned in close and Wufei got a deep whiff of her perfume…**_

 _ **Wufeis eyes went wide with recognition. " Sally…" It was her scent. He cursed.**_

 _ **The Dragon glanced at him knowingly. "This way, young one."**_

 _ **She led him to the woodpile and stood. Bringing her great head level with his own she spoke. "Where is your flame, Little Dragon?"**_

 _Flame…?_ _ **Blinking in confusion, Wufei held out his torch. "Here, Mistress."**_

 _ **The graceful creature shook her head. "No. This is not what I mean. While this flame is strong it will eventually burn itself out and die. I speak of a flame that is all consuming; it defies time and outlives death itself. That flame has the potential to ignite an inferno so great that none can touch it or even approach it."**_

 _ **Wufei considered the torch in hand. It had not gone out all during the time he had walked in the forest. It had not even gone out when he had dropped it on the wet ledge. It still burned strong. "I dont understand."**_

 _ **The Dragon extended one graceful claw in the direction of the torch. She cocked her sleek head. "Light the wood."**_

 _ **He stepped forewords and thrust the lighted torch into the pyre. It caught and burned brilliantly. Then a strange thing happened. Wufei watched in puzzled amazement as the fire died before his eyes.**_

" _ **The wood must be wet." He grumbled under his breath. But after taking a closer look he noticed the dry thirstiness of the pile. How could his torch not light that? Again he touched the fire to the wood and again the fire struggled and died before it could live.**_ _This is impossible._ _ **It should have lit.**_

 _ **The dragon turned her head so that he looked into one of her great ruby eyes. "It will not light with only that small flame, my child."**_

 _ **Wufeis dark brow furrowed as he attempted to process that. By all the laws of nature that pile should be a raging inferno by now. Stubbornly he lifted his torch to pile yet again refusing to accept defeat.**_

" _ **Oh, You are a stubborn one. Very well. Why don't you try again?" the sleek serpentine voice was laced with amusement at his childish willfulness.**_

 _Females. Even_ _ **guardian**_ _females_ _ **. Wufei growled to himself as he eyed the massive creature. He could swear that she was laughing at him.**_

 _ **He thrust the torch into the pile this time leaving it until he was certain the wood caught. But just as before the inferno spit and sputtered eventually petering out.**_

" _ **See even now how this tiny flame dies? It alone is not enough." The Dragon met the young mans eyes. "It was never enough by itself. It was never meant to be."**_

 _ **Wufei stared at the azure guardian knowing that there was a point to this. He just wasnt getting it.**_

" _ **Light the pyre again." Her voice was strong and commanding and Wufei obeyed.**_

 _ **For the third time,Wufei thrust his torch into the dry wood. As before the wood caught. But before it died the Great Dragon wrapped two massive blue-golden claws around Wufei's shoulders. He gasped as something stirred in him at the contact. The lids of his eyes slid shut as the sensation of fire kindled inside him deeply in his secret heart. It flared and flashed growing in intensity…burning…almost consuming him. Flashes of memory…turbulent emotions…joy, sadness, fear, lonliness, the struggle for strength… all coalesced into one calm moment of peace…he gasped as shining blue eyes laced with sweet laughter flashed through his mind**_ _ **...**_ __

 _ **His eyes flew open wide in surprise as a great surge strength poured through him**_ _ **,**_ _ **flowing down his arms. Heat like a great firestorm roared through his limbs finally coming to rest in his hands. The awesome heat pooled and its aura erupted into physical form encasing them in pure white flame. Wufei gazed in wonder as his eyes glanced from first one hand to the second. He smiled wolfishly as he instinctively shifted the torch into a two-handed grip, thrusting it into the very center of the pyre.**_

 _ **The flame of the torch spurted and suddenly flared white hot in a pure magnesium inferno.**_

 _ **Wufei stood wide eyed watching in amazement as the tiny fire became a raging conflagration that consumed both the pyre and the braziers on either side of it. He recoiled from the heat of it and felt that he would have been killed had the Great Beast not extinguished it with the mighty blast of her nostril**_ _ **.**_

 _ **The Dragon again pointed to the torch in Wufei's hand. "Little one, that flame represents the fire of your spirit."The Great she dragon turned her massive head so Wufei could gaze into her gentle serpentine eye. The look was gentle like he was infinitely precious to her...and for some reason he could not explain, longing ache settled in his stomache. "My Little Dragon, I have watched you for some time wandering and looking for that thing that would stir those embers of your spirit. I have seen you as first one thing then another caused it to flare up. But none of those things can truly fill that ache and desire. For they are but a part and not the reason. You will always be seeking…but never finding…never fulfilled until you find the truth. Seek the source of this flame and nurture it. If you do it will become an inferno the likes of which you cant possibly imagine. If you don't, this tiny flame will never reach its full intensity…"**_

 _ **Wufei gazed up at Her from his particularily undignified position on the ground. His mind rushed to try to understand what had just happened as he took in her words. Shock ran through him as he realized that He knew. He had always known in his heart…his powerful desire to become stronger…it had come from somewhere deep inside of him driven by a desperate need…knowing that without it, his true purpose would sputter and die and simply fade away…He would lose it all..**_

 _ **The great She-dragon leveled her majestic muzzle inches away from his own disquiteded face. With a gentle nod of pride, she saw that the true seriousness of the situation was not missed by her little Dragon. "Know this. The source grows dim. You must save it before it dies… or you will be the Last of my Clan."**_

 _ **Wufei swallowed against the sudden dryness of his throat as her warning washed through him.**_ _Absolutely no pressure…_ _ **Wufei shifted in frustration as his gaze dropped. "Sure I'll find IT. No problem…What the heck is it? What am I looking for anyway..?" He grumbled under his breath unaware that this thought had become audible.**_

 _ **The Dragon leaned down until Wufei was forced to meet her gemstone hued eyes. "You will know it. But remember, Little Dragon. Even though you are strong, the path to this point is riddled with peril. And once you begin to walk it there is no going back. The choice of paths is yours, young one." Her great ruby eyes twinkled. "But I have a feeling youre reckless enough to attempt the journey."**_

 _ **Wufei stared into the torch's fire. Laughter echoed and for the second time Wufei caught a flash of smiling blue eyes… Wufei glanced up and into the eyes of the beautiful beast. Just as quickly, fear was banished by a determination he did not fully understand.**_

" _ **That's my Little Dragon." The Dragon eyes twinkeled as she vanished leaving Wufei with the distinct feeling he was being laughed at…**_

Adrenaline shot through Wufei as he sat up abruptly in bed, a cold clammy sweat had broken out all over his body. He glanced around the room recognizing his rather spartan apartment. _No mist, no torch, no dragon…_ He swung his legs over the edge of his bed and ran his trembling hands over his face. It had been so real...his limbs tingled with the echo of heat and sheer weight of power. He exhaled shakily. _Just a dream..._

He was home.

He had arrived home with Duo over three days ago.

And he had been distinctly displeased to discover that Sally had come back and been sent out on another mission… this time alone. No partner, no backup. Nothing.

He had determined then and there that there was no way he was going to leave his partner out there, possibly in the thick of danger, without someone to watch her back. No. she _**would**_ have backup and that backup would be _**him**_.

There was only one problem with that as Une so infuriatingly pointed out. They did not know exactly where she was. They expected her report any moment now and then he would be joining her at an RV point. So he had let himself be talked out of going until Sallys report came in.

That had been two days ago…

With a sigh he stood and began to pace the length of the room. He should have forced the issue. He should have insisted that he be allowed to go after the woman. Anything could be happening to her. She could have been caught or worse, killed…

 _Why? Why does it matter so much?_ He ran his hand through his black hair in exasperation. It mattered because she was his partner. His friend..

His...his...what?

Abruptly he stopped his pacing. The level of his worry surprised him. When had he come to care so much? Sure she was his partner and a coworker, and he should be concerned. But this went beyond concern.

He entered his bathroom splashing cold water on his face. The icy liquid was a welcome shock to his system. Looking up, Wufei ran his eyes over the reflection of troubled youth. His childish features had been replaced with the hard rugged planes of a man. His muscular build showed plainly under the loose tank top he wore. Without a doubt, he was no longer a boy of fifteen. He possessed the physique of a grown man.

But he was the same Wufei he had always been. Nothing was different… or was it? He took in the finely chiseled features haggard with worry. He noted the dark circles under his eyes… Obvious signs that he was not sleeping well.

His mind wandered back to his dream, unable to shake it. Somehow he knew that it was vital that he find out what it meant. And soon.

It had all seemed so real. He could feel the cold wispy tendrils of fog on his skin; the sensation of jagged rock beneath his finger-tips as he had struggled to climb back onto that ledge. He could clearly hear the Great Dragons distinctly female voice… And he remembered the cold of the mists and the faint scent on the air…The feel of fire in his hands…and too the feel of fear and dogged determination… He felt a deep sense of urgency and undeniable prompting that he was needed. That he was supposed to do something.

" _ **The source grows dim. You must save it before it dies…"**_

His brown-black eyes closed as the Dragons words echoed through his heart. He had to succeed… That he was supposed to save something precious from being lost. And time was running out.

Wufei stood staring hard at the reflection in the mirror. _Just what am I supposed to save?_ He demanded of his reflection.

And his only answer was silence…


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: The characters of this story don't belong to me. Ah Heck, nothing in Gundam Wing does. (Sobbs hysterically) ahem...I digress...

On with the show...!

 _ **Minsk, Russia**_

 _ **Militia control room 10:00 hours**_

The door whooshed shut behind the form of a Chinese man. His black eyes focused on the screen that fed into the prison cells, latching onto the slim figure of his blond daughter. His temper flared once again as he stood watching her scoot around trying to find a more comfortable position. _Ungrateful whelp. Just who does she think she is?_

"You shouldn't lose your temper like that." A deep husky voice with a distinct accent spoke from the recesses of the room. Al-Arish sat in front of the monitors, feet propped up in a devil-may-care attitude. His calf-length leather jacket fell away revealing his slim muscular form. "It gives her the upper hand. And the last thing you want to do is empower her."

Po Chen stood for a moment trying to regain control of himself. He glared daggers at arms dealer. "Does it?"

The arms dealer gestured to the screen. "A woman with that much spirit takes a man who is at all times in control to break her."

"She has been nothing but grief to me since the day she was born." Po's tone was bitter.

"She requires a firm hand to tame her. A woman like that would prove an… _**interesting**_ … challenge. One that I would thoroughly enjoy."

Chen's narrowed. "And you think you could succeed in breaking her?"

The Middle Easterners voice grew soft and calculating. His cruel eyes gleamed as he watched Sally's sleeping form. "Yes."

Chen slipped into a calculative silence. He had sensed in Al-Arishs tone the desire to try. And as Po's dark eyes watched the woman on the screen a plan began to formulate in his devious mind. It would serve to get rid of her once and for all.

"Do you want the opportunity?" Po's voice adopted a tone of nonchalance.

Al-Arish jerked his eyes away from the monitor looking at the Chinese gentlemen for the first time since he had entered the room. The Arab's brow furrowed in suspicion. "You would give such a beautiful woman to me?"

"Not give. She could be considered part of my payment to you…" Chen sat down smiling inwardly at the arms dealers surprised, pleased tone. "After all, it would be profitable to you and me both. You would be my son-in-law..."

Al-Arish quirked an eyebrow at the older man. "Considering your activities, it would be beneficial to have an arms dealer in the family." He commented wryly. "And, she would be out of your hair…"

Chen nodded pleasantly. "And you would get the pleasure of making her yours. You get something you want and I get something I want. I could give her to you for… say, Two hundred thousand."

"I'm not so certain that you are not getting the better part of the deal." Al-Arish sat up his face adopting an offended expression. It was pure bluff and they both knew it. The Arab wanted her. And he would get her. The question was how much was she worth? "She is damaged. I couldn't possibly take her for more than one hundred thirty-five."

Chen looked indignant. "What do you mean? Bruises heal. Besides, you will probably do worse to her yourself. You are getting my _**only**_ daughter. By marrying her, you will have the honor of marrying into my family, with its impressive history. No less than one hundred eighty."

"She is the daughter whom you hate because of her genetic impurities." The Saudi Arabian pointed out. Although, the fact that her blonde hair, blue eyes and creamy skin were extremely attractive to him was something that the Middle Easterner did not mention. And for good reason. That fact could cost him another couple thousand. "One hundred forty."

"All right I will concede the point of her genetics. However she is still my daughter. Besides, by this alliance, you ensure that you have a faithful customer regardless of present situation. How could you pass up such security in these uncertain times? One hundred fifty-five."

Al-Arish's blood began to race with the negotiating. This Chinese man could drive a hard bargain. _He is a man after my own heart._ "You are right, Chen Po. Such security for one in my line of work is indeed a rare thing. However she has already shown herself to be troublesome to handle. Breaking her will would take a great deal of time and energy…" His voice became thoughtful. "I will need something to compensate my having to go to all that trouble. One hundred fifty."

"You yourself said it, Al-Arish. You will find that particular challenge invigorating. One fifty-five. Not a penny lower." Chen stood.

"Done." Al-Arish grinned.

"She is yours."

"You drive a hard bargain, Po Chen . You will make a worthy father-in-law." He stood and clasped the outstretched arm of his soon to be father.

 _ **Preventers Head Quarters, Belgium**_

Wufei stalked his office, ranting at Lady Unes image on his com. "Seventy-two hours and nothing? What do you mean she hasn't checked in yet? She could do that kind of surveillance in her sleep! Sally does not make foolish mistakes." Wufei shook his head resolutely. "Something's not right."

Une blinked at him. "We don't know for certain anything has gone wrong, Preventer Dragon. It may be as simple as her radio malfunctioning."

Wufei growled under his breath as he paced the length of the office that he shared with Sally Po. For the past three days, he had done nothing but file his reports and stare at Sally's empty desk He had been waiting for Lady Unes flunkeys to report on their investigation into his partner's disappearance. Wufei was certain that Lady Une was secretly hoping that Sally would still check in. _It's a foolish hope…_

He stopped his pacing and leaned over the com to emphasize his point. "I don't believe that and neither do you. Three days, Colonel. Don't you think that if it was as simple as a radio malfunction, she still would have gotten through to us?" He frowned. "That woman is intelligent enough to find a way. No. Something has happened to her. Either she has been captured or she's-" He stopped abruptly unable to continue. He had been about to say dead, but could not bring himself to utter that thought out loud. It caught in his suddenly dry throat.

Une stared at Wufei for a moment in surprise. She had never seen Wufei this keyed up about someone. Especially someone _**female**_. Watching his behavior she wondered at the advisability of sending him in. The last thing she needed was _**two**_ Preventers MIA… "Wufei…I dont think you realize that-"

Wufei cleared his throat. He had seen the look on her face and knew that she was just words away from ordering him to stand down. "I'll give your people another hour, Une, and then I'm going after her myself."

Une opened her mouth to protest and reason with him. Wufei succinctly interrupted her. His voice softened "I have to go, Une. I don't know why, but I do. And I intend to. As a Preventer… " Wufeis features turned hard as steel. "...or as a civilian."

Silence descended as she and Wufei studied each other.

"I have your word that you wont move before one hour, Preventer?"

Wufei nodded once and then pressed the end transmission button.

 _Sally…Where are you, woman?_ He sank into his chair, his dark eyes clouding in suppressed worry. _Are you all right? Are you even alive?_

He ran a shaking hand over his face cursing. This was not just worry; this was down right fear. In all his years of life never had he been so afraid.

 _Of what?_ He wanted to yell to the ceiling. Of losing Sally? His gut told him that that was it. But that was ridiculous. She was not his! He was not even sure he liked her all that much. So what was this sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach?

Quite disgusted with himself for his own weakness, he gave into his worry. Standing, he began pacing once more.

Lady Une sat back in her chair, her eyebrows fairly vanishing under her bangs. Wufei was not blustering. He was not attempting a bluff. He was deadly serious. He would go with or without her permission. _I had no idea Sally meant that much to him…_

"I have your word that you won't move before one hour, Preventer?"

She watched him nod and then disconnect.

Une pressed the button on the com and pinched the bridge of her nose.

Noin shook her head. "That's the Wufei we know and love… He will always do things his way or not at all."

Zechs steepled his fingers thinking out loud. "He's right though. Sally doesn't make stupid mistakes. There has to be a reason behind her failing to check in _._ "

Une frowned offhandedly. "I just wish he'd wait for us to gather a bit more intel."

Zechs leaned forward, his ice blue eyes meeting her hazel ones. "He's got good instincts, Une. Let him go after her."

"Do I have a choice?" Une sighed deeply, resigned. There was no escaping it. She would have to send _**someone**_ in. It might as well be Wufei since he was planning on going anyway. "All right. But I won't send him in alone. I have no idea what he will be facing. Noin, is Duo Maxwell still on base?"

Noin nodded getting up. "He's due to head for home on the next shuttle to L2. I think it leaves in a half hour."

Une leaned forward and made eye contact with Noin. "Call him. If he's agreeable, I'll send him with Wufei. Preventer Wind, youll be going as well. And have someone check the communication tower."

"I'll check it myself." Zechs stood and left Lady Unes office with his wife.

"Please be a glitch in the transmitter." Une said to the sky as she looked out her office window. Then she leaned forward and pressed the com switch. "Preventer Dragon, you have a go…"

 _ **?**_

 _ **?**_

" _ **Where the heck am I?!" Sally whipped around trying to distinguished shapes from the all-encompassing mist. But it was too thick for her to see clearly. Her smooth brow furrowed in confusion. One minute she was in a dark, dank, depressive cell and the next …here.**_

 _ **She tried to make sense of where she was. Squinting hard she could just make out the dark shape of a stone wall to her left and to her right. Something huge blocked the path behind her.**_

 _ **"Sai Lien…" a soft feminine voice called on the wind.**_

 _ **Sallys eyes widened as she whipped around trying to locate the owner of that voice. But all she could see was mist. "Who are you?"**_

 _ **"Sai Lien, Little Firebird, come to me…" The voice was like a soft caress, tenderly calling her by that cursed name. Calling her like she was loved and desired: like she was valued.**_

 _ **The last time she had heard a voice with that tone in it was over thirteen years ago… when her mother had died.**_

 _Little Firebird…I haven't heard that name in years._ _ **It had been her mother's favorite pet name for her. Tears pricked in her blue eyes at the memories and longings that it brought to the surface. Memories that were painful and that Sally had vowed to forget.**_

 _ **All the sudden she was angry. Angry at the voice for reminding her of her vulnerabilities. Sally dashed away her tears as that suspicious nature born out of her need for self-preservation rose to the surface. "Just why should I trust you? I don't even know who you are."**_

 _ **"My, aren't you a suspicious one."**_

 _ **Sally growled under her breath. It was annoying to be chatting with a nameless faceless voice. It was even worse when it laughed at her. "Just who are you?!"**_

 _ **"Come and see."**_

 _ **At the soft inflections Sally's anger melted away. For some strange reason she could not stay angry no matter how badly she wanted to. And right now she wanted to.**_

 _All right. I can't stay mad. But danged if I'm going to trust some unseen…thing! No matter how compelling its voice is…_ _ **"I don't know where you are, or how to come."**_

 _ **"You have what you need, Little Firebird."**_

 _ **"But…"**_

 _ **"**_ **Come** _ **." This time there was no mistaking the command in the voice. Sally could not argue with it any more.**_

 _ **The mists in front of her parted revealing an ancient cobblestone pathway. Sally glanced behind her and then at the cobbled road.**_ _Stand here for an eternity arguing with voices or trott down a path hurtling headlong into oblivion…_ _ **She shrugged. No brainer. It was not like she had a choice. Besides, she had to admit to herself she was becoming curious. Who was this voice that claimed to know her?**_ _All right. Pathway it is. I_ _'m probably going to regret this…_ _ **almost of their own volition her feet began to move.**_

 _ **Time itself seemed to freeze as Sally traveled that pathway. Twice she nearly turned back overcome by her fear of the unknown. But each time she squared her shoulders refusing to be cowed by mystery. She continued onwards, her courage bolstered by her curiosity.**_

 _ **The mists swirled around her legs in thick clouds hiding the roadway from her eyes. That coupled with the sense of timelessness weighed heavily on her.**_ _Oh, come on. Doesn't it end? I've been walking forever…_

 _ **Then quite suddenly the mist parted and for the first time, she could see clearly. And directly in front of her…**_

 _ **Sally recoiled taking a hurried step backwards.**_ _I did not want to see that!_ _ **She had only one glance, but one was enough for her. In fact, it was too much. Directly in front of her, the cobblestone fell away sharply into the sheer walls of a wide gorge. The deepest, darkest one that she had ever seen.**_

 _ **Sally did not consider herself to be a fearful woman. In fact, there were very few she was frightened of. Her father was one of them. Heights were another.**_

 _ **And what she saw in front of her only added to that phobia.**_

 _ **Spanning the expanse was the most dilapidated rope bride in the history of the universe. The boards that made up the planking looked brittle and fragile. Sally felt certain that they would disintegrate even under her slight weight.**_

 _ **As if the boards were not enough of a deterrent, the condition of the ropes was dubious at best. They were frayed and weather-beaten showing a distinct lack of care. She watched, nauseated, as a particularly tattered section twisted in the wind. And there were others in worse condition, most worn nearly all the way through.**_

 _ **All in all, the bridge appeared to be held together with chewing gum, spit, and a whole lot of prayer.**_

 _ **And it was the only way to cross that chasm. It was the only way to get to that voice. She felt in her heart that it was the way she was compelled to walk.**_ _You have got to be kidding me…_

 _ **Her pulse accelerated as the bridge began to swing in the ever-present wind. The almost lazy back and forth sway was mesmerizing and Sally watched the movement with a terrified fascination. She swallowed hard against the rising panic, her throat suddenly dry.**_

 _ **All at once a comforting motherly voice washed over her. "Little Firebird, why do you hesitate?"**_

" _ **I…I can't. The ropes…they'll break. And…"**_

" _ **And you will fall?" the voice finished for her.**_

 _ **Sally only nodded. She would fall, of that she was certain. She would fall and never hit the bottom. Abstractly she wondered if one could starve to death before hitting the bottom of a bottomless pit. Staring down into the blackness, she blanched paper white. Desperately she fought against the compulsion to continue towards that voice.**_

" _ **Sai Lien, how do know you will fall? Or that the bridge will fail? What does your heart say?"**_

 _ **Sallys head snapped up in an are you serious gesture. "The bridge looks like it hasn't seen tender loving care since the First Emperor ruled China, and youre asking me how I know I'll fall!?"**_

" _ **That is what your head tells you. That bridge has withstood the weight of many travelers since the dawn of time and it had not failed them."**_

 _ **Sally watched the rope rails twist and untwist in the wind. "But…"**_

" _ **Sai Lien." The female voice became gentle but firm as if talking to an errant child. "You are presented with two options. You can stand there allowing your uncertainty and fear paralyze you or you can trust my words and take a step of faith. The choice is yours. But if you do not take that step, you will never know what is on the other side."**_

 _ **Sally eyed the bridge once more and shuddered.**_ _You have to be crazy to attempt to cross that bridge_ _ **. Looking over her shoulder she considered returning the way she had come. It was safer. And something told her that once she started across, she could not turn back.**_ _But still…_ __

 _You do not know for certain that the bridge will fall… And while the journey may be perilous, whats on the other side is worth the risk. Trust her…_ _ **the still small voice that was her heart seemed to whisper to her.**_

 _ **Then Sally did the most difficult thing she had ever done in all her twenty-three years of life. She chose to trust.**_

 _ **Sally sighed knowing what she would do. While there was the slightest chance that she could make a successful crossing, she had to at least try. She knew she would never forgive herself if she turned back now. Sure, she was scared spit-less. But she was also Sally Po. As a young child living with her hated father, she had never backed down from a challenge. And she absolutely refused to do so now.**_

 _ **Sally squared her shoulders. Drawing in a deep breath, she placed a hand on either railing and slowly placed her right foot on the first board. Shutting her eyes tightly, she stepped off terra firma and allowed all her weight to rest on the bridge.**_

 _ **She waited for the inevitable sound of ropes snapping and the feeling of falling through air. The sounds that would herald her death. To her surprise, she heard none of those sounds. Her relief was almost palpable.**_

 _ **She released the breath she had unconsciously been holding.**_ _Well one down only thirty thousand to go… I must be nuts._

 _ **And gripping the rope rails in a white knuckled hold, she slowly began to cross.**_

 _ **The wind blew with a ferocity that Sally had never before seen. More than once she was forced to cling to the ropes for her very life as the gale buffeted the frail expanse of the bridge. And more than once Sally thought that she would never make it. But each time she hardened her resolve and pushed herself foreword. She would not allow her fear to dominate her.**_

 _ **The bridge bobbed up and down in time to her steps even as it swayed.**_

 _ **Then Sally made the age old mistake that had been the downfall of many a strong courageous man: she looked down. She swallowed, nauseated.**_

 _ **A sudden gust shook the ropes violently and Sally nearly lost her grip. She clutched at the ropes desperately, clinging to them for all she was worth. Breathing hard, she recovered her precarious footing as she waited for the wind to die down.**_ _Great Sally. Some voice going through an out-of-body experience tells you to come to it. And like an idiot you do. You even step out onto a rope bridge that should have been condemned eons ago. And the award for most brilliant move ever goes tooo…_

 _ **Realizing that the wind was probably as calm as it was going to get, Sally shook herself from her thoughts and resumed carefully crossing.**_

 _ **And just like that it was over. One minute she was being buffeted by the furious wind and the next she was on solid ground. She turned around to look at the bridge, and gasped in surprise.**_ _It's gone…!_

 _ **The bridge… the chasm… All of it gone. And she was left standing in amazement, mist swirling around her feet. Her brow furrowed in confusion as she turned back around.**_

 _ **Mist had again covered the ground making things indistinct and blurry.**_

 _ **Then Sally noticed something that had not previously been there. The scent of incense in the air caressed her senses. She closed her eyes breathing in the smell trying to place it. It was a heady intoxicating perfume. It brought a sense of comfort, of home. Not altogether unpleasant.**_

 _ **And not altogether unfamiliar. It reminded her of…of…**_

 _Of Wufei._ _ **It was the scent of his aftershave.**_

 _ **Her eyes popped open in surprise.**_ _Bloody heck_ _ **.**_

" _ **Wufei?!" She whirled around trying to see into the mists.**_

 _ **And came face to face with the biggest dragon she had ever seen.**_

 _ **Huge, lean, and lithe, the Dragons sleek body stretched before Sally resting in a pose that oddly reminded her of a cat getting ready for a nap. The mist played off the golden scales of its neck as the Dragon brought its head parallel to Sally's torso.**_

 _ **She took a hurried step backwards even as the Mighty Beasts mouth opened. But what issued forth from it were not the flames Sally expected, but words. Words spoken in that same feminine voice that had called to her before.**_

" _ **You have come, Daughter of the Phoenix. You are a worthy member of your clan. Your strength and spirit rivals that of any true warrior: including that of my own Little Dragon. The Great Firebird is justly proud of you. As am I. You are to be commended."**_

 _ **Sally blinked while the words sank in. After a moment she found her voice. "Great Firebird...? You mean youre a…a…"**_

 _ **The golden head nodded regally. "A guardian."**_

" _ **Of course you are." Sally's voice had an incredulous tone to it. "I'm hallucinating...that's all. I'm in my cell dying of dehydration and so I started dreaming of Dragons. Talking Dragons. Claiming to be guardians."**_

 _ **The Dragon threw her head back and barked in laughter. "Yes child, this is a dream. But I am no hallucination. I am here."**_

 _ **Sally frowned ominously. She did not enjoy being laughed at by an overgrown lizard. Even if that overgrown lizard claimed guardianship of a clan. "Oh? Prove it."**_

 _ **The Dragon cocked her great head at Sally and she could have sworn the Beast was smiling. "Little Dragon has good taste. Your fiery spirit will keep him on his toes." The dragon's great eyes sparkled. "Very well. Put out your hand, child."**_

 _ **Sally eyed the guardian suspiciously but held out her hand in front of her.**_

 _ **The Dragon reached up behind the bony frill at the base of her magnificent head. With one great claw she plucked a single golden scale from her body and gently placed it in Sallys palm.**_

 _ **Sally looked down at the thing in hand with a sense of wonder. It was the purest most golden color that she had ever seen and yet was marvelously light. Gently Sally ran her fingers over the scale and along its edge.**_

 _ **Yelping in surprise she jerked her hand back suddenly and looked at her stinging fingers. Sally watched as two droplets ran down her hand.**_ _Blood…_

 _ **She glanced up at the Dragon in surprise and realization. This was not a hallucination. Otherwise it would not have hurt.**_

 _ **The Dragons ruby eyes gleamed at the look on Sally's face. "Beautiful, is it not? Made of the purest gold. And yet even the loveliest of things have a dangerous edge to them. Is that not so, Sai Lien?"**_

" _ **Sally." She looked up at the Dragon still trying to get her mind around the blood dripping down her fingers. "My name is Sally Po. Sai Lien doesnt exist anymore."**_

 _ **The Dragon gestured at the scale with her snout. "Set it on the ground."**_

 _ **Puzzled Sally did as she was told.**_

 _ **Sally raised a hand up to shield her eyes as a sudden blinding light that issued from the Great Dragons mouth. A stream of white hot flame licked up both mist and grass around the golden scale, as slowly the scale melted. Unbelievably it began to reshape itself.**_

 _ **Sally's eyes flew open wide as she watched the heretofore scale become a lump of molten gold and then take on the shape of a ring. Etching formed on the band and Sally squinted against the reds and yellows of the Dragon's flame to make out the details. Abruptly, the river of flames coming from the guardian's mouth dried up leaving bright spots to dance before Sally's eyes.**_

 _ **The Great Beast leaned over the golden circle, and a single tear fell from her eye. Sally gasped and blinked as the tear turned into fiery adamant and landed on the hot metal. The stones shone brilliant white as it imbedding itself into the gold. After a moment the guardian swung her head level with Sally's. "Pick it up, child."**_

 _ **Hesitantly, she did as she was bid and slowly reached her hand out to touch the ring. Instead of the intense heat she expected, the ring was both warm and cold at the same time leaving her hand tingling. As she got her first real look at this wonder, she gasped.**_

 _ **An elegant Phoenix graced the shank on one side of the ring and a dragon the other. Both creatures met at the top in a dance as timeless as the creatures themselves. Caressingly, the dragon entwined its majestic neck about the diamond. The sleek head of the firebird wrapped around the opposite side. The delicacy of the ring caused her to stare in amazement and the richness of the gold fairly took Sally's breath away.**_

" _ **Sai Lien. That is your name, young one, and there is no shame bearing it." The Dragons immense head cocked and her gem like eye fixed Sally firmly in her intense gaze. "Sai Lien was faced with a set of incredible circumstances and so had to become like that scale you held. Beautiful yet cold and sharp cutting anyone who came near her. Because of it she survived to become Sally Po. But also because of that, she pushed away those who would cherish her beauty and could help her become something precious beyond value... that person who could help her turn her tears of sorrow into something priceless as diamonds..."**_

 _ **Sally swallowed against the lump in her throat. Blinking back tears at the words spoken to her and a sudden deep longing made her throat ache. A longing to love and be loved… A longing to believe the words she had just heard. To be all those things that this great beast had mentioned.**_

 _ **Tears streamed down her cheeks and she closed her hand tightly against the sight of that ring and all that it represented. "But who would see me like that…who would love me? The ugly daughter of a criminal…" Bitterness tinged her voice.**_

" _ **Oh, child…" The Dragon nuzzled her shoulder lovingly and stared into her eyes. "My Little Dragon does."**_

 _ **Sally stared wide-eyed at Beast in disbelief as she continued. "He needs you as much as you need him. You are the one that completes him even as he will complete you."**_

 _ **Sally chewed her bottom lip standing on a knife's edge of indecision. Part of her desperately wanted to believe the words of this enigmatic Creature, but another part of her was terrified to risk it.**_

 _ **The Dragon paused sensing her hesitancy "You are the kindling that ignites the flame of his spirit, Little Firebird. It's up to you to give life to that flame. Without you this flame will sputter and die. Taking with it what is left of the Dragon clan." The Dragons voice took on a soft mournful tone.**_

 _ **Sallys head jerked back and she looked at the Great Beast, aghast, hearing the absolute certainty in the creature's voice. Her stomach bottomed out as she got the distinct feeling that this Dragon knew what she was talking about. There was no doubt that out there somewhere was someone willing to accept Sally for who she was. Someone who already loved her. That someone even had a name.**_ _Little…Dragon…_ __

 _ **Sally looked at the guardian. "Do I even have a choice about this?"**_

" _ **You always have a choice, child." The Dragon lifted her mighty body from her cat like repose, touching Sally gently with her muzzle. "You always have the option of taking one path or another. Some paths require nothing but to walk them, and others require courage and faith…But its always up to you which you will take." Turning the Dragon began to walk off into the gathering mist.**_

 _Talk about coercion…_

" _ **Wait! Where are you going? I still have questions! Who is Little Dragon? How will I know him?" Sally's blue eyes widened as the guardian's shape all but disappeared. "Hello?!"**_

 _ **The Dragon stopped and glanced over her shoulder at Sally. A laugh caressed her senses and she could just barely make out the sparkle in the dragons ruby eyes. Quite suddenly they flashed and the Dragon vanished.**_

" _ **You know already." a quiet whisper echoed on the wind…"What does your heart tell you?"**_

Sally bolted awake with the dragons words echoing in her ears. Her hands shook as she reached up and felt the tears on her cheeks. Glancing around, her senses took in the cold of the stone, the dank darkness of the cell, and the vile odors coming from that pit in the corner. She was still a captive. _And_ _it was only a dream…_

Even if it had been a dream, it was still as vivid as if she was still standing there speaking with that dragon.

Sally carefully drew her knees up to her chest and rested her forehead on them. What the Dragon had said hit home in ways Sally did not want to admit. Sai Lien had to become tough and cold to survive her father's house. And unfortunately that survival mechanism had bled over into her life as Sally Po.

Especially when it came to relationships with men. She did not have trouble working with them but when it came to dating…? She never allowed anyone to get that close. She was too frightened. Inevitably, she would bristle and push anyone interested away using any means necessary. It was safer that way.

She smiled despite her surroundings as a cruel irony hit her. _I'll bet I sound just like Wufei…Pathetic, huh._

To be honest she had done it subconsciously. She had never really given it much thought. It was just instinct.

And now some glorified Nile monitor had pointed out rather effectively that she desperately wanted the thing that she had been running from: love. It claimed that there was someone out there who _**needed**_ Sally as much as she did him.

And his name was Little Dragon.

Somehow, Sally could not shake the feeling that she knew that name. Her blue eyes narrowed as she wracked her brains, trying to place it. She had heard it before of that she was certain. Somewhere in her dim past… Before she had become Sally Po.

Quite suddenly the memory of a boy came rushing back to her mind. One with a dragon encrusted sword and a caring smile...the only one to ever dare to protect her... she gasped, her lungs filling sharply as the certainty settled in her mind.

 _Little Dragon…_

Sally's eyes closed. The guardian was right. She did know him. He had done his utmost to make her smile when she was hurting.

He had stood over her and directly between her and her father.

He had carried a beautiful katana enameled blue and richly engraved with silver dragons.

Sally's head jerked up, her eyes popping open wide in shock. _Oh gods...that sword..._ In her mind's eye she saw the superior craftsmanship of the blade and its sleek lines. She saw the silver of those dragons playing up and down the hilt.

And it hit her square between the eyes. She had seen that sword more recently than thirteen years ago. She swore.

The last time she had seen that sword was at Duo Maxwell's wedding. On the hip of her partner Chang Wufei.

Wufei was Little Dragon...

She cursed herself for the fool that she was. _How could I have not recognized it?!_ Or recognized him? Sally had always suspected that underneath that crusty exterior lay a heart capable of tenderness. She had seen it on rare occasions but never for long. It was almost as if he was as frightened of attachment as she was. Running from it like she was…

Her mind replayed the Great dragons words over and over. Could it really be that Wufei loved her? That he needed her love too? Could she love him? Would it be so bad if she did?

 _Oh for crying out loud. It was just a dream._ Sally's analytical mind was screaming that she was a fool for reading to deeply into it. One dream about a giant talking lizard and suddenly she was a swooning giggly feather-brained girl. She could envision the horrified and embarrassed look on Wufeis face if she started running around assuming that he did in fact love her.

She growled, thoroughly annoyed with herself. She needed to get a grip.

 _Besides, I don't love him_. But even as she thought that her traitorous mind added a tag _…Do I?_

Their relationship had always been based on mutual respect. For Sally, it had been hard won. It was true that both complimented each other unusually well. Their team was one of the most effective in Preventers. It was purely professional...but even Sally had to admit, lately her fascination had taken on a more...personal...tone. She had noticed the way his uniform had filled out in the past in the past year. Her mind often wandered to her partner unintentionally and she had even begun to daydream. She grimaced and a pink flush that wasn't fever spread across her bruised cheeks. Her traitorous mind played through the scenes only causing her color to heighten.

She growled under her breath as she gave her imagination a good slapping...but not before the image of him with sweat pouring down the glistening planes of his chest after a good workout danced across her mind's vision.

 _All right I find him attractive!_ Sally mentally yelled to the ceiling. But love...?

Could it be that she really did love him?

" _ **What does your heart tell you?"**_ A voice echoed from her dream.

She buried her head in her hands. For once she quieted the beligerant sentinal her mind had set up. She allowed the small voice of her heart to be heard. And for once she listened.

 _I love him…_ Her heart whispered to her in a voice she could no longer deny. Warmth and elation shot through her as the shock of the truth settled in. And just as quickly...fear.

Sally's mouth turned dry as a desert, and not due to dehydration. "I can't love him..." After all, he was Wufei.

As quickly as she said it her heart contridicted it. _You've loved him for a long time, Sai Lien. Ever since the day he stood between you and your father._ _You loved him then as Little Dragon. Why is loving him now as Wufei any different?_

Sally buried her head in her arms. "Bloody Heck." This was not what she wanted or needed.

Musical tones of the laughter tickled her mind. Sally glared into the darkness of the cell. She got the distinct impression she was the butt of someone's bad joke.

But she was not given anymore time to stew about her sudden discovery.

Sally glanced up and at the cell door abruptly with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had heard the distinct sound of a key turning in a lock.

The cell door opened and the silhouette of her father stood there against the light that blinded her.

"Sai Lien, come here." The gravelly voice of Po Chen grated on her nerves.

Sally stood but did not walk to him. Instead she lifted her chin in open defiance. She folded her arms across her chest, even as her insides rebelled against her traitorous actions. "My name is Sally and I will not take orders from you."

"Whether you do or do not is your choice. You are no longer my concern, woman." His tone sent a tremor of trepidation running down her spine. Never had Sally seen this man so calm. In fact, he was distinctly pleased with himself. And that fact caused her anxiety to escalate into a full blown terror.

"What do you mean?"

Chen smiled at his daughter for a moment and then stepped aside to admit the silhouette of another man into the cell. "Sai Lien, allow me to introduce your husband…"

WHEW! Starting to get a little intense. Poor Sally. And what will Wufei say?

A/N: I realise that in the course of writing this, the characters may seem a little OOC. I tried to put myself in their shoes and I realized that in situations like this most people would be a little OOC. So forgive this poor author's take on how these two would handle this. Thanks so much for reading! I look forward to posting more chapters!


	4. Chapter 4

Man...it's getting good. Darn these disclaimers. However they are obligatory so...ahem...I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH ANYTHING THAT MIGHT OWN GUNDAM WING!...except the deluxe box set...and the ova...and the millions of mobile suit action figures...and the life size cut out of Heero Yuy that I shame-facedly stuffing my closet...

Oro! Never mind.

Now on to chapter four!

 _ **Minsk, Russia**_

 _ **Ninety-six hours and counting…**_

The night sky was cloudless and a full moon bathed the countryside in its silvery light. It gently caressed the dark emerald boughs of the surrounding fir trees turning them to pure platinum.

In the sky bright points of light sparkled down on the encampment, winking to each other knowingly. For they were aware of something that the slumbering men of the camp were not. Those stars had seen the silhouettes of three men climbing up the steep embankment just outside of the compound.

The scene was truly enchanting and on any other night Chang Wufei would have enjoyed the view.

But not on this night.

The glory and beauty that surrounded him was completely lost on him. His thoughts were intent on his missing partner.

The townsfolk had seen a woman of Sally's description but not recently. She had been registered at a local motel. But when asked, the proprietor revealed that he had not seen her in four days. The Preventers entered her room and Wufei had found her overnight bag with her clothes in it but little else. Duo had pointed out that her bed had not been slept in. And that her field pack was gone.

Wufei had looked down at the bag in his shaking hands. She had left her clothing which indicated that she had intended to return. The fact that she had not meant only one thing: she _**had**_ been captured as he had suspected. There was no doubt in his mind.

And Duo and Zechs had agreed.

Wufei scrambled up the bank as fast as physically possible causing the two men who had come with him to increase their speed. His eyes did not see the scenery but instead conjured up a picture of Sally; his mind ran through a hundred possibilities scenarios from torture and death to...Wufei halted abruptly, his entire being going cold.

He envisioned her wounded, her body broken and bleeding from brutal interrogations… He saw her gaunt form emaciated from starvation… thrashing, fevered and delirious… In his mind he pictured her bruised and bloody corpse staring lifelessly from her beautiful blue eyes. Or even worse…

His eyes shut tightly against that particular thought as a wave of nausea washed over him. Stories of what happened to women prisoners of war played through his mind like a record caught in a loop.

His lungs felt suddenly crushed...as if a huge hand squeezed the very air from him. _**No**_ _…!_ He _**would**_ get to her before that happened. _Upon my honor, I will rescue her_. _And pity the man who touches her…_ Wufei's hand clutched the grip of his automatic in a white knuckled fist and he moved forward again...this time at an increased speed.

Barely audible, a muffled groan filtered up to him from some distance below. "Hey _ **,**_ Wuffie… is it possible… for you to go any faster. I mean, c'mon… The Lightening Count here and I are practically… running ya over." Duos sarcastic comment was interrupted by his gasping need for oxygen.

Zechs grunted his agreement with Duo's sentiment but said nothing, choosing instead to save his breath for the climb.

"We don't have time to play around. Sally is in danger." Wufei growled savagely under his breath as he turned to glare at Duo. "Hurry up!"

 _If looks could kill_ _ **…**_ Duo's blue eyes blinked at the Chinese Gundam pilot. " _ **Geeze Louise**_. One mention of Sally in trouble and its like adding lighter fluid to an open flame. Cool that inferno, Dragon Lord. Keep it up and youll burn down the countryside."

Wufei emitted a deep throaty growl. " _ **Climb**_ , Maxwell…"

Duo pulled himself up next to Zechs and stopped for a breather. The happy-go-lucky Gundam pilot watched as Wufei disappeared over the crest of the ridge. "What is up with the raging beast routine? I mean, know Sally is his partner and friend and all. But he doesn't do that when others get captured. He wouldn't doesn't rush to my rescue like that. In fact he probably wouldn't try at all..." Duo grumbled under his breath.

Zechs shook his head. "Leave him alone, Duo."

"Whaaaat…?" Duo arched an eyebrow at the Lightening Count. "Is it too much to ask that the Last ruddy Lord of the illustrious Dragon Clan deign to slow down long enough for us simple plebeians to catch our collective breath? I mean he's freakin' me out acting this way."

A strange expression flitted across Zechs' face. "I'd be disappointed if he _**didn't**_ act that way." His tone became soft. "I know the way I'd feel if it was Noin out there…"

"I understand the losing the partner thing, but the way he's behavin'…" Shaking his head incredulously, Duo quirked an eyebrow at Zechs. "If I didn't know better, I'd say our Little Dragons in love."

Zechs' ice blue eyes bored into Duo's. "Maybe he is…Then again maybe he's not. But if it was Hilde, Duo, how would you feel?"

 _If it was Hilde..._ Duo glanced back up the ridge where Wufei had disappeared. "I know we agreed to split up, but I'm thinkin its not a good idea to leave him without backup. Not if we want to take these guys alive…"

A shadow of a smile passed over Zechs' stolid features. "I had no intention of letting him go alone." He reached up and pulled himself further up the cliff. "I'm not taking the risk of possibly losing two Preventers. Make it your priority to gain control of that satellite, Duo. I want reinforcements as soon as possible."

Duo nodded once and reluctantly began the inexorable climb to the top.

Sometime after her father and the Middle Easterner had left her cell, men had come under orders of her father and moved her here. They had treated her bruises and cuts. And pointing to the fabric laid out on the bed, they had ordered her to change.

Then they had exited leaving her alone in the room with a serving woman of Middle Eastern descent. A room that looked to be torn directly from the pages of 'A Thousand and One Arabian Nights'.

Sheer draperies of colorful silk hid the stark ugliness of concrete walls. Softly the flickering lights off dozens of candles illuminated the low slung bed lying against one of those walls. The light danced off of the golden metal that made up the dozen or so candelabras that held them. And delicate perfumes graced the air adding an exotic feel to the atmosphere. The affect was stunning and any other time Sally would have been enchanted.

But not now. Not with the cold fist of fear clamping tighter and tighter around her stomach. A fear that she, even with her spunk and fighter's spirit, simply could not shake.

Sally reached down picked up the clothing from the bed and then looked at the other woman incredulously. Her angry tones echoed in the quiet of the chamber. "Oh, no. Uhn-uh. This is not happening. There is no way I'm putting on something that would give a belly-dancer pneumonia."

Hanging from her fingers was the top half of a two-piece costume. It was reminiscent of the costumes worn by dancing girls in high end Arabian restaurants. Only this one was more translucent.

Golden embroidery shaped the pliable wine-colored material taming the fabric to emphasize her figure in a most… _**flattering**_ …way. Dangling from just under the breast line to her stomach were metal tassels that chimed every time the fabric moved.

She dropped the halter with the tinkling protest of chimes and picked up the bottom half, all the while shaking her head. The fabric of the skirts was sheer and light and slits ran up the sides. A single length of the same material draped down the front from the vee just under her belly button.

Sally would have been a fool if she did not recognize what this get up would do for her shape. Hands down it would emphasize every accoutrement she was ever born with tenfold. There was only one thing this scrap of fabric was designed for.

Her face hardened. She wadded the delicate fabric up and tossed it back on the bed. "One of us will be dead before that happens."

The woman was quiet. Too quiet and she gazed at Sally sympathetically as she moved to draw a bath for the blond woman. "Do not fight him. It will go easier for you if you don't."

"What?!" Sally whipped around and stared at the woman hard.

She stood keeping her back to Sally. Her voice was worn and weary. "It will be better for you in the long run if you do not fight him. My husband is not a man known for his tolerance. Or his mercy." The woman's shoulders slumped. She had seen this happen many times before. She knew what lay ahead of this beautiful and fiery fair-skinned woman. For the man that Sally was being prepared for was also _**her**_ husband. And she knew what would happen if Sally did not comply. The woman's fingers rose unconsciously to her right cheek. At the very least she would be beaten. At the worst…

Sallys blue eyes narrowed at this. "Why do you care?"

The woman sighed and turned to face Sally exposing the ridged and blemished flesh of her face.

Sally's eyes widened in surprise making her speechless, shocked at the extent of the womans scarring.

The woman raised her eyes to meet Sallys. "You remind me of myself. The same bold spirit. But I learned. Just as you will. It is hopeless to defy him."

Sally took in the lines on the woman's face signs of premature aging. She could not have been much older than Sally was herself. And yet she had the appearance of one who has lived for ages and seen untold horrors. Her shoulders were bowed as if she carried the weight of that knowledge on them.

The scars told a horror story all their own. But the thing that really got to Sally was her eyes. The woman's brown eyes were haunted and guarded. They reminded Sally of her own when she lived with her father. And quite suddenly Sally felt a wave of compassion for the woman and for what she has had to endure. "What's your name?"

"Shia." Was the calm quiet reply.

"Look, Shia, I appreciate the concern, but there is no way on earth or in the colonies that I'm going down without a fight. He's going to have to kill me first."

Shia sighed and closed her eyes. "He will. You can be certain of that." She was tired; so tired of watching this happen again and again. "There were others before you. Some of them were like you. The same attitude of defiance the same resolve. Those who gave in survived. The rest…" Shia turned her back to Sally and turned the water off. She pulled the cork out of a bottle and the scent of jasmine filled the room. Pouring the contents into the water she spoke in a near whisper. "The rest died slowly. Horribly."

"Then help me."

Shia turned to Sally wide eyed with fear as the blond woman reached out desperately to grasp her arm. "Help me before that becomes my fate too. Help me to get away. Now. Before the guards return."

Shia shook her head fearfully. "You don't know what you are asking of me. If I do help you to escape and I'm discovered, he will kill me." Her voice trembled so that Sally could barely understand her next words. "And not the way he killed the others. Something worse…"

Sally blanched as she studied the woman in front of her and abruptly turned away. There was no way that she could get Shia's help. And nothing would justify Sally in asking her.

Sally may be frightened, but she also was a doctor, with all the responsibilities of one. She had taken a vow that she would first do no harm. And if she made Shia help her, Shia would be forfeiting her life. It was a sacrifice Sally could not ask… _ **would**_ not ask.

 _This can't be happening…_ It just simply could not. She could not believe her father would sell her as payment. Even if he was Chen Po, he was her father for goodness sake! Her own flesh and blood.

And yet he had.

She closed her eyes as a new wave of fear washed through her, and she thought for certain that she would lose what little she had in her stomach. Desperately her mind searched for ways to escape this but came to no conclusions.

Sally stood lost in her own thought until she felt the feather light touch of the woman's hand on her arm.

Shia's timid touch startled her from her reverie.

"I am truly sorry." Shia's lined forehead creased in apology and Sally again had to remind herself that Shia was no older than herself. "I must help you to bathe and then…" She gave a side-long glance at the rumpled clothes on the bed.

Sallys jaw clenched as she considered resisting. This woman was of a slight build. Sally was certain if it came to a scrap she could easily overpower the woman. Her sky hued eyes took in the scars on Shia's face and through her mind ran the thoughts of what might happen to her if Sally did not comply. Nauseated, Sally swallowed and nodded her assent.

Neither women spoke as Sally bathed and dressed. Sometime later she stood arrayed in that ridiculous costume, perfumed, combed, and bedecked with pearls in her hair. Anyone who saw her would have taken her for an Arabian princess or perhaps Shaharazad herself. The costume was by far the most alluring thing Sally had ever worn. _Yet somehow I feel like a lamb being lead to the slaughter…_

A sudden CLICK reverberated through the silent room and both Sally and Shia turned towards the sound. The womens' eyes went wide in terror. A tall powerfully built masculine form moved into the flickering candle light. The golden light played over muscular planes of his torso poorly disguised by the thin muslin tunic he wore. But rather than add to his masculine charm it only served to lend him a menacing aura. Al-Arish stood his eyes boldly roving over Sally. Then they fell on Shia. "You, get out."

Shia dropped her eyes fearfully and gathered up Sallys uniform. Her hands shook as she picked up the greenish pile of fabric and turned to go. Glancing back at Sally for the briefest moment, Shia cried out as the iron grip of her husband closed around her arm. She shrank back from him as he leaned forward.

"I said, get out." His voice was quiet almost a whisper. But to Sally, those quiet tones were a million times more frightening than her father's yelling. She watched in alarm as he shoved Shia towards the door he had just entered. Landing hard against the wall her cry was cut off sharply as she bit down on her lip. In a blind fit of terror, she grabbed the door knob and scrambled out closing the door behind her.

Al-Arish turned his gaze back to Sally and she physically recoiled from the barely concealed lust that raged in his eyes. He took a step towards her. "Come here..." His quiet voice demanded obedience.

She took a half step backwards as her eyes widened in fear. _Dang it, Wufei. Where are you…?!_

Wufei stalked the compound, flitting from shadow to shadow. Like a phantom in the darkness, he looked for any clue that would lead him to Sally. Close on his heels, looking for anything like a wraith with his platinum hair, Zechs Merquise trailed behind Preventer Dragon keeping an eye out for sentries but also a close watch on his temperamental temporary partner.

First one sentry fell to the ruthless efficiency of the Gundam pilot/ Lightening Count duet, then the second, until at last they both found their way inside of the base's inner workings.

The unconscious form of the guard slumped to the ground in a heap as Zechs grabbed him and dragged him out of sight. Wufei leaned around the corner his inner senses on edge. The coast was clear.

Every hair on the back of his neck stood up. He could feel the tension in his bones. "Three sentries and then the halls are deserted…" _I hate it when people underestimate me..._

An abrupt movement caught his attention. Zechs gestured and pointed towards the shadowy silhouette of man lumbering through the hallway. Wufei stiffened, his eyes flashing ominously. He knew that shape anywhere. _Po Chen…_

Suddenly his mind flashed back to a time thirteen years before when he had watched a spirited girl of ten face down that brutish hulk of a man.

Wufei's face twisted into a mask of pure hatred. He knew Sally was here somewhere. She had to be here. And Wufei also knew what that man was capable of. _If you even thought about harming her in any way, youre a dead man!_

Then a peculiar thought struck him. Sally was here of that he was certain, but if Po Chen was here… _Sai Lien…_ A quiet voice whispered through the back of Wufei's mind. Was there a possibility he knew where she was?

Wufei's eyes narrowed. There was only one way to know for certain. Catching Preventer Wind's eye,Wufei signaled his intent to creep closer, opening his ears to eavesdrop on the conversation.

Raucous laughter echoed down the corridor to the Preventers as Zechs sidled up to Wufei. He leaned down behind a box giving himself a clear visual of the room Po had just entered.

Po Chen sat at a military grade table, his smiling face devilishly illuminated by the standard issue army lamp. "The look on Sai Lien's face…" He chuckled to himself as if finding some private joke immensely entertaining. "I should have married that brat off years ago."

Two soldiers flanked the elderly Chinese; one appeared to be a kid but the other a brown haired soldier with white at his temples seemed much older. Each shifted their weight as they made eye contact. They appeared most displeased with something. All three were blissfully unaware that they had eavesdroppers in the hall.

"Sir, I realize its not my place to disagree with you. I don't agree the Prime Minister's ideals, which is why I am here serving this outfit. But I also served with Major Sally during our Alliance days." The older soldier shifted his weight and adjusted the color of his uniform, obviously working up the nerve to finish his sentence. "Sir…"

Finding no easy way out of it he shrugged. "Sir, I wish to tender my resignation. I find the use of humans as currency to pay for material goods to be reprehensible at best. I cannot tolerate the thought of serving under someone who has so little regard for the sanctity of human life."

Chen's face was white in fury and his eyes looked as if they would pop from his head. "The disposition of _**my**_ child is _**my**_ affair and none of your concern. Get out."

The younger soldier stepped forewords incredulously. "But sir, surely as Major Sally's father…"

 _Sally's… Father?_ Wufei drew in a silent sharp breath. If he was Sally's father… that meant Sally was… _Sai Lien_. He cursed beneath his breath as certainty flooded over him. Sally's blue defiant eyes and her snarky smile danced before his eyes. He swore again.

Why had he not seen it before? Sally's spunk… Her eye and hair color… Wufei nearly laughed out loud. Of course Sai Lien was Sally...

He was such an idiot...such a blind idiot. He had spent all that time looking for Sai Lien and had not been able to find her. Simply because he had not thought to look for her in the most obvious place: right beside him.

Exhilaration shot through him as him mind digested that. Excitement...and then something else...a wolfish grin spread across his lean features. She was alive. Heat shot through him as the thought of seeing her again. He had searched so long for her and now he had found her at last. The one person who truly sparked the fire inside his heart so long ago...the one who caused his spirit to burn brightly... _Sai lien_... _ **Sally...**_

His mind screeched to an abrupt halt, his face turning ashen as the words of that confounded dragon played through his mind.

He felt like he had been punched in the stomach. _That's it isn't it. That is the answer to the riddle of my dreams._ How could he have been so blind?Laughing blue eyes danced through his mind, smiling at him mischievously...And suddenly it all clicked. Sally, the one woman feisty enough to get past the carefully erected barriers around his heart…his beautiful and spirited partner...his Sai Lien... no, his Sally...He froze as another more sobering realization wracked his excited heart. _I love her...I ve loved her ever since that day in the elders council chamber when I defended her from her father._ Wufei's eyes closed with the import of his discovery.

And now she was once again at her father's maniacal mercy. She had been used as a bargaining chip. As payment. His dark eyes blazed open. _Not if I have anything to say about it…_ Wufei had just found Sai Lien again after thirteen years and danged if he was going to lose her now.

Po Chen glared menacingly at the younger man. "Would you care to join your fellow in disgrace, Lieutenant Warren?"

The older soldier put a hand on Warrens arm. "No Tim. Don't risk your neck for me."

The soldier stepped back saluting and turned a sharp about face. Without a backwards glance he left the room and marched down the hall.

Zechs' icy blue eyes smoldered as his mind took in what he heard. He stifled the anger that threatened to bubble over. He had not realized that Sally had a father, but if this man had actually done what the soldier had said and used his daughter as payment… Bad enough that he had done it at all, but he had done it to Sally. She was a colleague and a friend.

The sudden movement at his shoulder reminded Zechs that Wufei was still there. But if Zechs did not do something now he would not be for long.

Zechs grabbed the Gundam pilots arm forcing him to meet his eyes. Wufei was angrier than Preventer Wind ever recalled seeing him. The set of his jaw and the iron fist he held his gun with spoke volumes. That and the embers of rage barely checked burning in his dark eyes. The message was all too clear.

Wufei wanted to kill Po then and there. It was a sentiment that Zechs heartily concurred with. But something that Zechs could not allow; no matter how tempting it was. Their priority was to rescue a Preventer.

Wufei's hand closed about the grip of his weapon in a white-knuckled fist. He was itching to put aside the secrecy of stealth and squeeze the man's throat until he ceased to breathe. He balled his hands into fists, nails cutting into his palms and drawing blood. Only the firm grip of the Lightening Count on his arm kept him from charging into the room and killing that monster.

Reluctantly, Wufei silently acknowledged the reason behind Zechs restraining hand. The timing was off. Satisfying as it would prove, it would also delay his finding Sally. And he had a feeling if they did not reach her soon…

Sensing Wufei's self-control returning, the Lightening Count watched with a calculating gleam as the officer who had been dismissed by Po Chen walked by. A plan was forming in his mind; both the way to find Sally quickly and the way to apprehend her sleazy father.

Zechs motioned his head indicating that he wanted Wufei to move into ear shot. "I think that soldier might prove sympathetic to the idea of Sallys rescue. Split up. You follow him and find her. Meanwhile, I'll deal with Chen."

Wufei nearly argued with Zechs. _**Nearly**_. After all, Wufei wanted to be the one to meet out justice to this…this…monster. But he also wanted to be the one to rescue Sally. No not wanted, _**needed**_ to be the one to rescue her. After a moments silence Wufei nodded his head once.

Narrowing his eyes, he took one long lingering look at figure of Po Chen. "Another time, then. And I assure you there will be one."

With that Wufei took off at a stealthy pace disappearing into the bowels of the base.

The soldier stepped out of the doorway to the base's nerve center. Lifting a cigarette to his lips, he inhaled as the tip ignited and glowed red in the darkness. Drawing in deeply he pulled the object away from his lips and exhaled a cloud of blue smoke. _Blast! If only there was something I could do…_ his brow furrowed as he glanced towards a certain Pre-fabricated shelter.

The place out side was fairly crawling with Middle Eastern men all on one type of duty or another. _There is no way I can approach that shelter without being caught and even if I could find a way in…_

The soldier glanced down at the smoldering cigarette quite suddenly found its taste bitter on his tongue. He dropped the offending object into the dirt. _Even if I could find a way in and somehow miraculously manage to rescue Major Sally, there is still one hundred feet and some three thousand men in between us and freedom._ And he did not like those odds. Not one bit.

He growled a curse under his breath as he watched Al-Arish approach one of his guards. Both men exchanged words in their native tongue and Arish slapped the man amiably on the back. Turning towards the hut he pulled open the door allowing a rectangle of yellow light to play across his muscular form.

It was either now or never. The soldier knew that he could not abandon Major Sally to such a fate. She had been his comrade and at times a friend. She was smart as a whip, beautiful if not pugnacious, and above all she was a woman of character. She knew right from wrong and was not above pointing out truth if one was in error. She was an officer he had been proud to serve under because he knew she would not ask one of her men to do something she would not. And there and then, the soldier decided to act even if it cost him his life.

He moved to take a step forward when a sudden movement caught his peripheral. Turning his head, he squinted into the shadows knowing someone was there.

"Freeze." a low voice whispered to him.

And freeze the soldier did. For even in the quiet undertones of that voice, the soldier detected cold steel. In the shadows of the doorway He could barely make out the shape of a man. The darkness hid his assailant's face but the lower part of his legs gleamed in the moonlight, revealing his boots and the military green of his pant legs. In front of that menacing shape the moonlight glinted of the pewter muzzle of the weapon he held.

The soldier held his breath not daring to hope. That particular green was worn as field uniform by the Preventers. And if that was indeed the case, the soldier was looking on someone who was sent by that organization. Which meant … _Rescue…_ The man's next words only confirmed the soldiers suspicions.

"If you value your life, youll tell me where they have taken Sally Po. _**Now**_."

The soldier leaned against the building casually making no sudden movements that would give the Preventer reason to shoot him. But neither did he call out to the guards who were mere feet away.

The man lit another cigarette casually. "You are a Preventer, aren't you?"

"Where is Sally Po?"

Nonchalantly, the soldier watched as the lazy stream of smoke rose from his cigarette and dissipated into the cold night air. "You're here to rescue her?"

Silence for a moment. "Yes. Where is she?"

"Her father gave her to some arms dealer by the name of Al-Arish as payment for a shipment of ammo."

The soldier quirked an eyebrow at the shadowy figure when the Preventer emitted a rather ominous growl. "I've heard things about that sleaze. Especially in regards to women. And not good things let me tell you. Can you imagine a father who would give his own child to a man like that?" The soldiers tone was angry and bitter. "Understand me, Preventer, I don't hold with Relena Darlian's ways, but this…?"

The soldier stared grimly at his cigarette. They would kill him for what he was about to do, of that he was certain. But if he did nothing to help Sally now he would not be able to live with himself anyway. He sighed. They could only kill him once.

He sensed the Preventer shift his weight impatiently.

"Over there." The soldier dropped his cigarette and stomped on it. He used the movement to cover the subtle hand gesture he made towards the Pre-fab shelter. "Preventer, if you are going to save her you had better hurry. Al-Arish is already in there. You're dealing with maybe three guards. They come through about every fifteen minutes. And before you ask why I would give you that info, I have my own reasons. This was the one thing that I _**could**_ do to help her. Tell Major Sally that Lt. Dell sends his greetings."

 _She hasn't been Major Sally since the Gundam wars._ _But if he knew her then…_ He just might want to help her. And if what he said was in fact true…

 _Al-Arish…_ It looked like Wufei would get him after all. But if that guy so much as touched his Sally… Wufei growled and clicked the safety on his automatic. He would not be bringing the man in alive.

Wufei watched as the soldier turned and walked away from the building. Then his eyes fell on the hut. Readjusting his grip on his weapon, he stepped from the deep doorway and peered around the edge of the building.

Three men all armed with Uzis strode past laughing and speaking jovially with each other as the door to the hut opened. Running as fast as her legs could carry her was a woman of dark skin carrying a bundle in her arms. She glanced back at the door of the shelter apprehensively.

Blinded by her fear she ran smack into one off the three men. He shoved her while the other two jeered maliciously. She jerked herself to her feet and took off like there was no tomorrow causing the two men in front to laugh. The third glared daggers as he knocked the other two in the head. The laughter died down as he scolded the others and once again they resumed their rounds

Wufei stiffened feeling a new sense of urgency. _Come on, come on._ Sally was in there…and so was Arish… he needed in there _**now**_! _Move…_

The instant the guards were out of eyeshot Wufei crouched low to the ground and ran in as fast as physically possible. He was just reaching for the door knob when he heard something that fairly ripped his heart from his chest.

His eyes burst open wide. He had heard the unmistakable sound of a woman screaming. _Sally…!_

Throwing caution to the wind Wufei threw open the door and glanced around the room. His eyes fell on the figure of a man passionately kissing a fighting woman.

That man's hand had the woman by her blond hair his other grabbed at her cruelly. She struggled unsuccessfully against his attentions.

The man had to have been Al-Arish. And the woman he was kissing was Sally…

Wufei's jaw clenched and he raised his automatic mechanically. He pulled the trigger once, twice…


End file.
